Impetus‘ Darrell Allen provides his weekly round-up of all the women’s football action in Norfolk (21/9/22).
Above: Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers’ hat-trick hero Shanice Sutton fires in an effort at Thetford Town on Sunday. Photo: Hardy Scott Photos.
Main Match Of The Week:
Thetford Town 2-4 Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers
Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers were victorious on the opening day of the Norfolk Women and Girls League season as they saw off Thetford Town at Mundford Road in a Division One encounter.
Star striker Shanice Sutton was the difference with a superb hattrick and Phoebe Green was also on the scoresheet for the visitors. However, it was Thetford Town who scored the best goals of the game as strikes from Kamile Omeleviciute and Abbie Corbyn lit up the Mundford Road stage.
Dussindale and Hellesdon, one of the division’s heavyweight clubs, started on the front foot with a series of good forward play which resulted in a corner being fired over before a wonderful move saw Sutton fire over from the edge of the box.
They took the lead when Sutton calmly finished in the 21st minute to open her and the visitors’ account for the season.
A good Thetford response followed this time Hannah Rogers with a chance wide before Abbie Corbyn forced Dussindale and Hellesdon keeper Tyla Cole into a wonderful save.
Thetford paid for not taking advantage of their opportunities when Shanice Sutton was on the end of a cross from the right and headed in low down from close range for her second of the afternoon to give the visitors a comfortable lead.
Thetford finally got a reward for their first-half efforts as Omeleviciute cut inside the Dussindale and Hellesdon defence and finished emphatically into the roof of the net to crucially half the deficit just before half time.
Omeleviciute was a force for Thetford all afternoon as the hosts began the second half on a high. She forced a save from Cole before floating another ball towards goal but this was easily dealt with by Cole.
Once more, Thetford paid the price for not taking chances as Dussindale and Hellesdon broke away and restored their two-goal advantage. Phoebe Green slotted past Jess Knight in the Town goal to score against the run of play.
Sutton completed her hat trick 15 minutes from time when a long ball over the top was picked up by the talented forward who finished past Knight as visitors went three goals clear.
Thetford knew that the margin was harsh, and deservedly got a goal back when Abbie Corbyn finished thunderously on 83 minutes to reduce the deficit.
There was time for a late Phoebe Green chance who forced Jess Knight into a great save but Dussindale and Hellesdon were unable to further increase their lead and the match finished with a 4-2 victory for the visitors.
For Dussindale and Hellesdon this was a solid job well done in a tough away match, not at their best but when you have a striker with the talents of Shanice Sutton, anything is possible and a hat trick and three points on the opening day is just the perfect start for them.
This was a match that Thetford Town knew realistically they were not going to get points out of, but all 16 players played for the shirt, scored two wonderful goals and ran one of Norfolk’s top teams all the way. There were plenty of positives to take for David Skipp and his team.
Teams: THETFORD TOWN: Knight, Webb, Klimcke, Omeleviciute, Hardie, Lloyd, Martins, Howard, Rogers, Boulton, Bambury. Substitutes: Page, Howard, Corbyn, Burr-Walpole, Browne.
Scorers: Omeleviciute, Corbyn.
DUSSINDALE AND HELLESDON ROVERS: Cole, Belton, Kennett, Tink, Taylor, Nobbs, Hutchin, Booker, Sutton, Brister, Bussey. Substitutes: Roe, Green, Kowalczyk, Wetherall, Lafitte.
Scorers: Sutton (3), Green.
Attendance: 88
Referee: Paul Gibson.
Norfolk Round-Up
In the tier four FA Women’s National League Division One South East, Norwich City continued their fine form as they beat Queen’s Park Rangers 2-0 to make it four wins from their opening five games. Kathryn Stanley and Megan Todd were the scorers as the Canaries claimed a dominant victory at Loftus Road, the ground Queens Park Rangers men play at.
Wymondham Town‘s match with Hounslow was abandoned due to an injury to a Hounslow player.
In the Norfolk Women and Girls League Division One, newly Promoted Caister and the University of East Anglia made all the headlines, both winning their opening games of the new season. Caister were 3-1 winners on the road at Beccles, Beccles took the lead through a goal from Elisha Bower but a hat trick from Bethany Turner saw Caister start the season with three points. The University of East Anglia (UEA) were victorious with a 3-2 home success over Bungay Town. UEA goals were scored by Lucy Gooding, Freya Fuller and the other was an own goal. Bungay had Selina Rowland and Lauren Purling to thank for their strikes.
Long Stratton started the season as they mean to go on with a stunning 7-2 win at Stalham Town, Luci Middleton finding the net six times with Samantha Walker getting the other for Long Stratton. Stalham goals were scored by Maisie Roll and Emma Macmillan and Stalham felt they should have scored more having created lots of chances but found Jody Todd in the way of many in the Long Stratton goal.
In Division Two, Aylsham started with a 17-0 victory at home to Thetford Bulldogs. Hannah Claughton and Sophie Lubbock got five goals each, a hat-trick was scored by Sophie-Jayne O’Connor, a brace from Florence Simpkin, and the other two goals were from Vicki Lubbock and Rhiannon Dack. FC Viking Valkyries beat Shrublands 4-0 at home thanks to a hat-trick from Alexandra Denes and the other from Chelsea-Louise Gladding.
King’s Lynn Soccer Club were 10-1 winners at home to Horsford. Jordan Turner scoring four, Ellie Panks with a hat-trick, Chloe Edwards with a brace, and the other from Sophie McNeill. The Horsford reply was scored by Jade Shaul.
Gorleston claimed a thrilling opening day away day success winning 4-2 at Mulbarton Reserves. A brace from Hazel Saddington as well as strikes from Chloe Dobson and Joana Patricia da Cunha Teixeira with Gorlestons goals. Megan Anderton and Amelia Barrett were on target for Mulbarton Reserves.
North Walsham Town and Freethorpe shared the spoils in the day’s only draw Rhiannon Holt and Amy Roper with the North Walsham goals, Claire Garner and Kiera Squires with Freethorpes goals.
In the day’s final match, Blofield United won 3-1 at Thorpe St. Andrew with Bailey Duffield scoring a hat trick. Abi Simmons scored a late consolation for Thorpe St Andrew in the 87th minute.
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