EAST MIDLANDS WOMEN’S REGIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Sunday January 23rd, 2.00pm
Roundwood Sports Complex
ROTHERHAM UNITED WOMEN 0
NORTHAMPTON TOWN WOMEN 3
Chloe Martin 16
Leah Cudone 71, 89
Cobblers: Jo Daniel, Eden Brown, Sara Wait, Bianca Luttman, Abbie Brewin (sub Charlie Cooper 59), Rachael Mumford (sub Georgia Tear 46), Fay Noble (sub Alex Bartlett 75), Zoe Boote, Leah Cudone, Alex Dicks (sub Cesca Partridge 46), Chloe Martin (sub Abbie Reboul 79)
Northampton Town won 3-0 away to Rotherham United in the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division on Sunday.
Leah Cudone scored twice and Chloe Martin scored the Cobblers’ other goal as they continued their perfect league record and extended their winning run to seven games.
Joint-managers Lou Barry and Josh Oldfield made three changes to the team that progressed to the Northamptonshire FA Women’s Cup semi finals last week.
Fay Noble, Martin and Cudone came in for Beth Artemiou, Alex Bartlett and Charlie Cooper. Cudone captained the side and Zoe Boote made her league debut for the club.
Both sides made slow starts. The hosts were first to threaten when a long range shot deflected behind for a corner.
The Cobblers took the lead with their first real chance after a quarter-of-an-hour, Martin capitalising on a defensive mix-up and finding the back of the net on the turn.
Martin came close to doubling her tally on the half-an-hour mark, latching onto Rachael Mumford’s pass and showing good footwork in the area, but her effort went wide.
Noble also had an opportunity to add to the advantage a few minutes later, but her shot from the edge of the box was straight at Rotherham goalkeeper Georgia Ward.
Ward’s opposite number, Jo Daniel, ensured her side went into the break ahead with a near post save from Nicola Stray’s drive.
The second half opened up in the Cobblers’ favour, and they created all of the notable chances after the interval.
Two half time substitutes combined on the hour when Georgia Tear played Cesca Partridge through, but Ward rushed out to deny her effort.
Cudone pounced on a loose ball and hit the top of the crossbar from range 10 minutes later, but the forward made it two soon after when she ran onto Tear’s through ball, rounded Ward and passed into the open goal.
It was three in the final minute of normal time, Cudone adding her second with a low shot into the bottom corner from Partridge’s forward pass.
The Cobblers travel to in-form promotion rivals Lincoln United next week. Their opponents have won five league games in a row.
ROTHERHAM UNITED MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (3) 3
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (2) 2
CORNERS: (1) 1
FOULS: (1) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (0) 1
COBBLERS MATCH STATS (first half in brackets, match total out of brackets)
SHOTS ON TARGET: (4) 10
SHOTS OFF TARGET: (4) 11
CORNERS: (1) 8
FOULS: (5) 7
CAUGHT OFFSIDE: (5) 9