Sunday 2nd February 2025
FA Women’s National League Division One North
Photo: John Shirras
AFC Fylde Women’s first league game of 2025 ended in a 3-1 defeat to York City Ladies at Kellamergh Park.
The first weekend of February saw the Coasters return to league action for the first time since the winter break as they entertained York City Ladies in a crunch clash between the bottom two sides in the division.
Playing in front of their home crowd, Danny Murphy’s Coasters relished the challenge and capped off a dominant first-half display with a deserved opener from Natasha Dale shortly before the interval.
Emily Senior’s MinsterBelles fought back in the second half and levelled through Felicity Jones’s close-range finish just after the hour mark. With momentum in their favour, Emia Hendrickson-Eastwood put the visitors ahead, before Jones added a third late on to complete an impressive turnaround.
For his first league game in charge, Murphy handed debuts to three new signings Orlaith O’Mahony, Beth Mason, and Emilia Nuttall. Meanwhile, Nicola James captained the side in the absence of Holly Kelsh-Ridge through illness.
Fylde started on the front foot and quickly asserted themselves in the contest. O’Mahony looked to release Dale with an incisive through ball, but Dale was flagged offside. At the other end, City midfielder Jess Holder bent an effort just wide of the far post.
On the quarter-hour mark, Mason was soon involved in the action as she dribbled past several defenders, before the ball fell to Imogen Borrowdale, whose strike flew just over the crossbar. As Fylde attacked again, Dale tried her luck from range, but her looping shot was gathered by City goalkeeper Becky Sidwell.
With over half an hour gone, Fylde won a free-kick in a dangerous position. James’s delivery picked out Demi Devereaux, whose cushioned header dropped to O’Mahoney inside the area. O’Mahoney got her shot away, but Sidwell was equal to it.
In the 38th minute, Devereaux played a sublime pass to Dale, who unleashed a fierce drive that was too powerful for Sidwell to hold as the ball rolled through into the back of the net. That opening goal was just rewards for all their attacking efforts, but the Coasters knew that there was still a long way to go.
Half-Time: AFC Fylde Women 1-0 York City Ladies FC
At the start of the second half, the MinsterBelles freshened up their attacking options as Milly Ash and Faye Singleton were introduced to the fold.
Within five minutes of the restart, Borrowdale burst down the wing and swung in a teasing cross that was just cut out by the City defender. Moments later, Dale almost connected with a ball over the top, but the pass just evaded her.
As the MinsterBelles searched for an equaliser, Ocean Rolandsen worked space for a cross, but the ball narrowly cleared the crossbar.
After some neat interplay between Mason and Borrowdale, the latter’s cross teed up Devereaux, who let fly from distance, but Sidwell made a smart save to deny her.
In the 63rd minute, the MinsterBelles drew level when Jones broke through the Fylde backline, controlled the ball inside the box, and slotted it into the bottom corner.
In the 70th minute, Karri Chan and Katie Bowers Folan entered the fray to provide fresh energy in the Fylde midfield. But within twelve minutes of the equaliser, City substitute Hendrickson-Eastwood edged the visitors in front when she managed to tuck the ball past the onrushing Skye Kirkham to make it 2-1.
Entering the final 15 minutes, the Coasters became stretched as they struggled to deal with the visitors’ pace on the counterattack. In the 84th minute, Jones raced in behind again and swept the ball home to extend the visitors’ advantage.
In the closing stages, Fylde thought they had reduced the arrears when substitute Abi Duffell found the back of the net, but her goal was disallowed for offside. Shortly after, the full-time whistle brought an end to a highly competitive encounter, but one that got away from the Coasters.
While the result lifted York City out of the relegation zone, it left Fylde rooted to the bottom of the table, albeit only two points away from safety. Despite the defeat, Murphy’s team can reflect on a promising performance that will stand them in good stead heading into their next fixtures.
Full-Time: AFC Fylde Women 1-3 York City Ladies FC
AFC Fylde Women: Kirkham, Nuttall, James, Dunion (86’ Duffell), Mason, O'Mahony, Borrowdale, Tindall, Hyland (70’ Chan), Dale (70’ Bowers Folan), Devereaux
Unused substitutes: Hunter, Breed
York City Ladies FC: Sidwell, Trickett, Cattle, Blythe (46’ Singleton, 64’ Hendrickson-Eastwood), Smith, Underdown, Rolandsen, Ramsden (77’ Bell), Sykes (46’ Ash), Holder, Jones
Unused substitute: Hardcastle
Report by Scott Jones
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