GLASSGIRLS LOSE OUT IN PLATE FINAL

Hannah Fishwick's 34th minute goal, a spectacular effort from 30 yards, gave Stour hope, four minutes after Macey Ellis had put Leeds ahead, but the Yorkshire side scored twice in the second half through Abbie Brown and Amy Woodruff to take the honours.

In the end, Leeds were deserved winners, but Stour will look back on a fantastic run which has seen them reach a National Final in their first season as an FA Women’s National League club.

Leeds were first to threaten, with the advantage of the gentle slope at Damson Parkway, with Olivia Smart’s 2nd minute free kick drawing a good diving save from Amie Preston low to her right, but that apart the game took a while to warm up.

Amber Lawrence’s shot didn’t have enough on it to trouble Carrie Simpson in the Leeds goal on 9 minutes, before Preston produced a carbon copy of her earlier save to thwart Abbie Brown, but they were rare half chances in the early stages.

The game sprang to life, though, on the half hour, as Leeds went ahead. Amy Woodruff took down a through ball and managed to get the better of Sophie Heaselgrave, before firing in a shot which Preston could only parry into the path of MACY ELLIS for a simple finish.

The Glassgirls responded well to the setback, with Zoe Clarke getting forward and shooting wide when she might have tested Simpson, but that was soon forgotten as HANNAH FISHWICK drew Stourbridge level, picking up Clarke’s pass and, spotting Simpson off her line, producing a floated chip of the highest quality to bring things back level.

The rest of the half settled back into a to-and-fro between the teams, with neither able to lay much of a glove on the other, although Leeds were closest to going ahead when Brown sent a free kick wide, Preston seeming to have it covered all the way.

With the modest advantage of the slope, the Glassgirls began the second half with better intent. Mill Rogers’ low ball into the box from the left evaded both Niamh Deasy and Clarke as Stour looked to up their game, while Leeds initially made little headway against the Stourbridge defence.

That changed on 63 minutes, as ABBIE BROWN put Leeds back in front. Woodruff got away down the right and her cross was slightly misjudged by Preston, allowing Brown to slide the ball home from eight yards out.

Once again Stour reacted well, pushing forward in number and seeing Clarke’s effort from distance skim off the top of the crossbar, but they were up against it when AMY WOODRUFF added a third goal for Leeds 17 minutes from time. This time it was Ellis crossing from the right and Woodruff guiding an excellent header just inside the far post, out of reach of Preston.

With a moderately-sized mountain to overcome, Stour’s chances to get back into the game were limited. Substitute Lyndsey Glover latched onto a flick on by Fishwick from Clarke’s pass, but her attempt to lift the ball over Simpson was denied by the keeper’s outstretched fingertips, and from there on Stourbridge didn’t really look like finding the two Goals they needed.

Stourbridge now turn their attentions back to the League campaign where they are six games from a potential third successive promotion, a possibility that received a helping hand from Leek Town as they defeated nearest challengers Doncaster Rovers Belles 2-1 on Sunday.

The Glassgirls lead the table by 7 points, as well as boasting a vastly superior goal difference.

(Photo - Anthony Dunn, Focus Dunn Sports Photography)

Remaining Matches

Sunday 2nd April - Leek Town (a)
Wednesday 6th April - Solihull Moors (a)
Sunday 9th April - SHEFFIELD (H)
Sunday 16th April - NORTHAMPTON TOWN (H)
Sunday 23rd April - Peterborough United (a)
Sunday 30th April - Leafield Athletic (a)