Nettleham Ladies 5

Grimsby Town Ladies 7

Grimsby Town Ladies consolidated their win last week by a comprehensive second half performance against Nettleham Ladies, which ended in a 7-5 result.

With early pressure from the kick off, Town played some good passing football in the middle of the park, despite the pitch being slow from the previous week's rain. Town opened the scoring after only five minutes when a long throw from Ashton was met by Mumby who took her chance well. This was followed quickly by her strike partner, Hopkin who out-paced the defender to make it two nil. As Town relaxed into the game, the football increased in pace and quality and man of the match Dye took the first of her four goals when another Ashton throw was flicked on by Mumby to Dye to find the back of the net on the half volley. When Nettleham did gain possession, Town pressurised high up the pitch and went four nil up in the 30th minute when Dye controlled the ball in the box, beat the defender with skill and calmly placed the ball in the bottom left hand corner.

With Town expecting to produce a cricket score, a lapse in concentration allowed a through ball from midfield to split the defence. Nettleham striker, Sarah Priestley pounced and placed her shot out of the reach of keeper Wallis. Three minutes later, Priestley took on the back four at pace and was brought down in the box by Farbrace for a penalty. Nettleham scored their second from the spot and added a third two minutes later when a corner kick was parried by Wallis into the path of the Nettleham striker.

Town went in at the break shocked by Nettleham's three goals in eight minutes to an intense half time team talk. The second half was a different affair. All of Town's players responded to their managers instructions and did not allow Nettleham time to settle on the ball. Town took the initiative with another Dye goal in the 50th minute and held onto the ball for long periods. With Ashton leaving the field after a late tackle, young player Ibbett took up the central midfield role and gave an impressive display of both defensive headers and attacking support play. Captain Goodwin led by example covering all areas of the pitch and Burns in the back four nullified Nettleham's main striker with a great second half performance. With Smith supporting on the right flank and Dye continually troubling Nettleham's defenders, Town scored two more, first by Mumby and then again by Dye. Although Nettleham scored twice in the second half, both from set pieces, they did not have control of the ball in open play. With commitment and determination evident from every Town player in the second half, the result takes them to second in the league, with two games in hand and only four points behind the leaders.

Team: Wallis, Farrow, Burns, Farbrace, L.Smith, Dye, Ashton, Ibbett, Goodwin, Mumby, Hopkin. Subs: Gallop, Olley.

Man of the Match: Linsey Dye.

The Final Word: "We were in complete control in the first twenty minutes, scoring four goals and I was disappointed that we allowed Nettleham back into the game. But the players responded well in the second half and we ultimately deserved the three points." Paul Farbrace (Manager).

Picture: Linsey Dye