Everton Ladies 0 - 2 Notts County Ladies

Notts County Ladies have secured their first ever win in the Women’s Super League, and rose to the top of the FAWSL1 table, after seeing off Everton 2-0 in today’s game at the Halton Stadium in Widnes.

The game saw early pressure from the Lady Pies, who found themselves dispossessing their opponents within the first minute and launching a speculative cross into the area, which was cleared.

Just three minutes later, Jess Clarke forced a corner, and from the subsequent set piece, broke the deadlock to give the away side the lead, courtesy of a header from Katie Holtham.

The Toffees goalkeeper, Rachel Brown-Finnis, got a touch, but only succeeded in deflecting the ball onto the post and into the back of the net.

The versatile Dunia Susi was a constant thorn in Everton’s side, marauding into the opposition box on several occasions and sending dangerous passes which had to be frantically cleared.

The home side didn’t threaten Notts until the 14th minute, when Nikita Parris broke through the Magpies backline, but goalkeeper Carly Telford did enough to put off the marauding forward, whose lob soared over the crossbar and out of play.

Midway through the first half, Susi managed to beat three Everton players but was thwarted by Gabrielle George in the box before she could cause more havoc.

The Lady Pies then doubled their lead just before half time, much to the disappointment of the home crowd (but to the delight of the visiting fans) when Clarke, arguably one of County’s best players in the Arsenal draw four days ago, applied the finish to a ricocheting corner.

The second half saw Notts threaten within four minutes of the restart, when Clarke broke into the Toffees box and launched a dangerous that was poorly cleared into the path of Laura Jane-O'Neill.

The youngster set up the ever-dangerous Susi, but she was unable to keep the ball down.

After a somewhat quiet spell, Clarke was able to break from the halfway line in the 71st minute, powering forward into the box and firing just wide.

Beleaguered Everton, second best throughout most of the game, were able to fashion a dangerous change when Kelly Jones was clean through on goal having beaten Telford, but O’Neill conjured up a great Liddle-esque headed clearance off the line to bail out her teammate.

The rest of the game was all Notts, who could have run away with the game through dangerous chances from Rachel Corsie, Susi and Clarke, but as the final whistle blew on a 2-0 away win, the Lady Pies could not be happier with the display and the scoreline nonetheless.

The result means that the Lady Pies climb to the top of the eight-team FAWSL1 on four points, the same as Chelsea and Liverpool but with a superior goal difference.

You heard it first on Pride of Nottingham – Notts County on top of the league, above Chelsea and Liverpool! COYLP!!