Sheffield FC 4–3 Tottenham Hotspur on 28 January 2018

A real end-to-end contest saw ten-player Tottenham Hotspur Ladies fall just short in a seven-goal thriller at nine-player Sheffield FC, as the hosts took the spoils in a feisty 4-3 FAWSL 2 contest at Dronfield.

However, Karen Hills’ side could feel aggrieved following Wendy Martin’s goal contentiously ruled-out for 4-4 with 12 minutes to play.

Sarah Wiltshire past Sarah Jackson and fired towards Danielle Gibbons after ten minutes. A minute later at the other end, Katie Anderson fed Melissa Johnson who struck wide.

With 14 minutes played, Hannah Cain’s inside right strike was stopped by Toni-Anne Wayne, but Johnson tapped in the rebound.

Three minutes later, Spurs were level. Martin was clipped inside the box, Wiltshire’s spot-kick was saved, but Coral-Jade Haines reacted first to place home.

Cain broke to the inside right and crossed for Johnson to tap in to restore the lead on 20 minutes.

Haines’ free-kick crashed off the crossbar on 23 minutes. Hannah Mackenzie and Wiltshire combined down the left for Martin to fire, but Jackson blocked five minutes later.

Wiltshire's corner was struck by Lucia Leon at the back-post for Emma Johnson to block on the half hour mark.

Mackenzie’s vital challenge inside the area denied Johnson five minutes later. In frantic action before the break, both sides were down to ten-players following Cain and Sophie Mclean’s altercation.

Two minutes into added time, Rhema Lord-Mears found the upright and from the resulting play, Katie Anderson played Johnson through who slotted for her hat-trick.

Less than a minute after the restart, substitute Bianca Baptiste latched onto Haines’ splitting pass over the top and fired past Gibbons.

Anderson placed in, with some fortune, after Jenna Dear and Lord-Mears combined to restore the two goal advantage inside 52 minutes.

Baptiste’s low strike was stopped, prior to Jackson blocking Wiltshire from close five minutes on.

The hosts were reduced to nine-players following Dear’s dismissal for a second-bookable offence just past the hour.

The Lilywhites took advantage when Baptiste’s cross from the right was taken first-time by Wiltshire inside the box for a splendid lob on 68 minutes.

Leon’s low shot was saved by Gibbons eight minutes later and on 78 minutes, the comeback appeared complete. Haines slipped Wiltshire down the left, who broke the line and found Martin to place in, only to be ruled offside.

Deep in stoppage-time, Josie Green’s left sided cross eventually found Baptiste, whose volley towards the bottom corner was stopped by Gibbons.

Sheffield FC Ladies: 1. Danielle Gibbons, 2. Sarah Jackson, 4. Sherry McCue, 5. Danielle Cox, 6. Jenna Dear, 9. Melissa Johnson (18. Chloe Dixon 73), 12. Rhema Lord-Mears (11. Sophie Jones 73), 14. Hannah Cain, 17. Katie Anderson, 20. Emma Johnson (22. Beth Donoghue 85), 21. Nicole Kemp. Substitutes (unused): 3. Holly Housley.

Spurs Ladies: 1. Toni-Anne Wayne, 2. Lucia Leon, 6. Renee Hector, 19. Ryah Vyse (4. Josie Green 45), 5. Sophie Mclean, 16. Maya Vio, 12. Hannah Mackenzie (8. Bianca Baptiste 45), 23. Coral-Jade Haines, 14. Katie O’Leary (17. Lauren Pickett 59), 7. Sarah Wiltshire, 10. Wendy Martin. Substitutes (unused): 11. Jenna Schillaci