Chesterfield Ladies made the perfect start to their 2022/23 season as they beat Oughtibridge War Memorial Women 3-1 at home on Sunday afternoon.
Goals from Maddi Frances-Creaser, Georgina Williams and Georgia Willson secured all three points for Mike Noon's side at the Chesterfield Panthers Rugby Club ground.
With only nine teams competing this season in the East Midlands Women's Premier Division, Chesterfield Ladies knew they couldn't afford a slow start if the season is to end with a league title.
The hosts made a bright start to the game and were comfortably the more threatening team over the whole 90 minutes. Mike Noon's side came very close to taking the lead in the seventh minute of the game when the Oughtibridge goalkeeper made an excellent save to deny Chesterfield Ladies from close range in a crowded penalty area. However, it only took six more minutes for the hosts to find the opening goal of the game. An excellent threaded through ball from Kel Fidler put left-back Steph Warren in an excellent position. From the by-line, she picked out Maddi Frances-Creaser with an excellent pass and she buried the ball home from close range to make it 1-0.
Shortly afterwards, Georgina Williams had two opportunities to double Chesterfield's lead. A shot from the edge of the area in the 15th minute was comfortably saved by Oughtibridge's goalkeeper before Williams's 18th minute effort just flashed wide of the post. The Oughtibridge keeper then made a good block to deny debutant Shannon Purdy in a one-one-one situation.
However, despite the bright start, Oughtibridge found an equaliser from nowhere in the 25th minute of the game. A mix-up with the defence and goalkeeper when the hosts were trying to play the ball out from the back allowed an Oughtibridge striker to take advantage and loop the ball over Claire White from 18 yards out and into the back of the net to grab an equaliser.
Chesterfield Ladies worked hard though to restore their lead and were rewarded on the stroke of half-time. A long pass put Georgina Williams in a race for the ball with Oughtibridge's goalkeeper. Williams won the battle and was able to slot the ball past the keeper and into the back of the net to give Chesterfield a 2-1 lead just before the interval.
The hosts were also the better side in the second half but Oughtibridge were well organised and proved to be stubborn opponents. As the second 45 minutes progressed though, the visitors visibly tired and Chesterfield's excellent fitness levels allowed them to have a flurry of chances to extend their lead.
Substitute Beth Smyth had a great chance to make it 3-1 just three minutes into the second half but she scuffed her 15 yard effort which saw the ball roll well wide of the post. Midfielder Kel Fidler managed a shot on target following a corner in the 53rd minute but her firm 16 yard effort was aimed straight at the goalkeeper.
Georgia Willson impressed when she came on as a substitute and the striker came close to scoring when her effort from inside the penalty area in the 74th minute was on target but saved and eventually gathered by the opposition keeper.
With five minutes of normal time remaining, the hosts finally killed the game off with an all-important third goal. Oughtibridge's goalkeeper initially made an excellent block to deny Beth Smyth from close range but the ball was eventually teed up to Georgia Willson who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net from 12 yards out to make it 3-1 and secure all three points for the Derbyshire outfit.
As a lot of chances were missed overall, manager Mike Noon knows that his team will need to be more ruthless in the final third when they come up against the likes of title rivals Notts County Women and Lincoln United Women later on. Both games against Oughtibridge last season were very tight though, so Mike Noon will nonetheless be delighted with an opening day victory against awkward opposition.
Chesterfield Ladies team: White, Warren, Abercrombie, Anderson, Cook, Pashley, Frances-Creaser, Standen, Fidler, Purdy, Williams. Used subs: Philips, Smyth, Willson.
Mike Noon Quotes:
"Oughtibridge are a good side, they caused us problems last season. They were tough opposition for us today, so I'm really pleased to get the three points. I think we were the better team over the course of the 90 minutes. We allowed them back into the game in the first half. It was good for us to go into the break at 2-1 because it meant that we had that little confidence boost right before half-time. I felt like, all the way through that second half, we just needed to get that third goal to finish the game off because it left the door open for Oughtibridge to potentially get themselves back into the game. So I'm chuffed to bits with the performance but it would have been nice to have finished off the game earlier as I felt we created enough opportunities to do that."
"We need to set them standards now against teams like Oughtibridge as they're a tough game. We could have scored six or seven today if we'd been more ruthless. Against teams like Notts County and Lincoln United, we will need to make sure we're sharper and ready for that challenge. Hopefully, over the next few weeks, we can see us hit the back of the net more often. The pleasing thing for me is that we're already getting in those right areas and creating those opportunities."
"You can't afford to drop points in this league. Only one team can get promoted. You've got to be winning almost every single game. Notts County will be right up there, as will Lincoln United and Mansfield Town. If we drop points early on, you're already playing catch-up for the rest of the year. So it was really important that we got off to a good start today and secured three points."
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