Derby Women’s 1st XI 7-0 Staffordshire Women’s 1st XI: Hosts secure title with emphatic victory
Words and picture by Kurt Bigg
Derby Women’s 1st XI secured the Midlands 3A league title following a dominant 7-0 victory over Staffordshire Women’s 1st at Kedleston Road.
Goals from Kirsty Ryder, Sarah Hassanin (2), Evie Garner (2) and Hannah Barber (2) were enough to fire Derby to the title in convincing fashion.
Staffordshire came close to opening the scoring in the opening stages of the first half. Number ten’s shot whistled wide of the post as the away side continued to push for the first goal, but number 11 and ten both had efforts that went the wrong side of the post.
As the first half went on, Derby started to grow into the game; Heather Keith let fly from long range, but her shot was easily saved. Staffordshire’s goalkeeper had another simple save to make not too long after. Olivia Fox’s pass allowed Garner to go through on goal, but her tame effort was simply collected.
Before the half was up Derby took the lead. The visitors were unable to handle the dangerous corner, which Ryder smashed home from close range.
The second half started off in the opposite way to the first period, with Derby maintaining possession and having increased clear-cut opportunities. Fox and Garner linked up again to almost double the home side’s lead, but the striker’s effort nestled in the side netting.
Staffordshire managed to come close to equalising ten minutes into the second half. Number ten’s free kick from just outside the box fizzed just wide.
Derby soon made it two through Hassanin as she drove into the box before firing home from an acute angle.
Two soon became three when Garner latched onto a long ball over the defence and poked past the helpless Staffordshire goalkeeper.
The hosts scored their fourth midway through the second half as Garner smashed the ball into the back of the goal following Hassanin’s interception.
Derby continued to show no mercy with substitute Barber and Garner making it 6-0 to the home side. The scoring was completed with five minutes to go when Barber’s 25-yard effort flew into the roof of the net, concluding the fixture and sending the home side into jubilation.
