Mansfield Town

Our ladies team produced their best performance of the season as they romped to an emphatic 4-0 win over lowly Curzon Ashton on Sunday.

Suzie Gelson, Jemma Douglas, Emma Allen and Emily Bryan were all on the score-sheet in a display which oozed class and confidence.

The Stagettes looked slick, sharp and started with a real spring in their step, as they dominated the early exchanges and forced their opponents to do nothing else but defend.

However, they suffered a blow on the quarter-hour mark when instrumental skipper Stacey Bridge tweaked her hamstring and unable to continue, she had to be replaced by Emma Potter. 

After Hannah Bodle fired just inches wide of the post following some good work by Allen, the breakthrough eventually came moments before half-time.

Gemma Hodgkinson made a surging run down the left flank and passed the Curzon full-back with ease, before she whipped the ball into the six-yard box for Gelson to head home.

The goal was a huge boost for the Stagettes and things got even better just a minute later when they doubled their advantage thanks to Watton linking up inside the area with Douglas, who hit a ferocious shot into the bottom corner.

In the second half, the Stagettes were buzzing with confidence and played a number of short, passing moves, which seemed to cause the visitors all sorts of problems.

In the 52nd minute, the impressive Lucy Webster lined up Watton, whose shot from the edge of the 18-yard box whistled just inches over the upright.

Curzon soaked up plenty of pressure, but their resolve was broken once again with a quarter-of-an-hour left to play as Allen curled a shot into the top corner, giving the ‘keeper absolutely no chance.

Just three minutes later, Bryan came off the bench and made an instant impact as she pinched the ball and dribbled her way past the full-back, before cutting back inside unleashing a venomous strike into back of the net from 25 yards. 

Although there were no further goals, a good day was completed when Chloe Hobson replaced Gelson for her first team debut.

Team: Gascoyne, Davis, Bridge (Potter), Allen, Braithwaite, Hodgkinson, Douglas, Bodle, Webster (Bryan), Gelson (Hobson), Watton.