Report: Stockport County Ladies 3-3 Leeds United Women | OneFootball

Whites earn a point on the road.

FAWNL Division One North

Stockport County Ladies 3 (Owen pen 19’, 80’; Gillin 45’)

Leeds United Women 3 (Dobson 13’, Rousseau 56’, Astle 82’)

Stockport County: Bowness (GK), Lysons, Weston, Lancaster (Wilson 46’), Davies, Owen (C), Rathburn (Hyland 74’), Greenhalgh (Figueiredo 74’), Fisher (Bentley 46’ (Houghton 54’)), Bradshaw, Gillin.

Leeds: Simpson (GK), Smart (C), Dobson, Hughes, Danby, Rousseau, Smith (Price 84’), Gibril-Keating (Astle 70’), Jakeman (Elliot 70’), Turner, Pizzarello. Subs not used: Megeary (GK), Waldron.

Referee: James Shillcock

Booked: Davies (Stockport) Elliot (Leeds)

Venue: Stockport Sports Village

Leeds United Women twice fought back from a goal down to earn a well-deserved point away at Stockport County Ladies in the FAWNL Division One North, thanks to goals from Ellie Dobson, Jess Rousseau and Katie Astle.

In what was a quiet opening period, both sides looked to keep the ball on the floor and use all the space available to them, with Whites full-back Charlyann Pizzarello well placed early on to dispossess County winger Jessica Gillin as the hosts attacked.

Chloe Fisher, after returning from an earlier knock, had the game's first sight of goal as she rose highest to meet a cross from the left, glancing a header into the arms of United goalkeeper Carrie Simpson.

That save would prove crucial moments later as Leeds took the lead, with Dobson on hand to bundle the ball home following a scramble inside the hosts’ penalty area.

Sarah Danby had whipped in a dangerous delivery from the right which bounced off a number of bodies, before the defender popped up at the back post to finish, with the assistant on the far side confirming the ball had crossed the line!

Stockport looked to respond immediately when Gemma Lancaster found space and headed towards the far corner, with a scampering Simpson saving well at the back post.

From there, Leeds broke through Rousseau, with the recently crowned Player of the Season cutting the ball back from the right for the onrushing Sian Gibril-Keating, who saw her well-struck effort blocked well inside the area.

Moments later, the Hatters were presented with a chance to equalise from 12 yards as Kath Smith was adjudged to have brought down Emma Lysons inside the area, with captain Kenedy Owen stepping up to calmly slot the spot kick past Simpson.

The hosts then looked for a quick-fire second and Whites’ full-back Harriet Jakeman was required to make a crucial interception dispossess Fisher inside the area, with the retreating Dobson on hand to hack clear before Lily Weston’s strike from distance cannoned back off the upright.

Despite the hosts beginning to enjoy longer spells of possession, Simon Wood’s side still posed a threat on the break and Pizzarello picked out Rousseau inside the area with a perfectly weighted pass, only for Gemma Lancaster to make a superb last-ditch challenge to prevent the forward from tapping home.

Stockport took the lead on the stroke of half time when Gillin drilled a low effort into the far corner from the edge of the area, beating Simpson at full-stretch as Steve O’Hara’s team went into the break with the advantage.

HALF TIME: Stockport County 2-1 Leeds United

United threatened from the off after play resumed, with Smith chipping a pass over the top looking for Rousseau, which County keeper Faye Bowness was alert to as she darted out to collect.

Rousseau wasn’t to be denied for too long however, when the 20-year-old raced onto Danby's incisive pass and charged into the area before firing low into the bottom corner to level once more!

On the hour mark, Smith almost put her side in front as she found space to meet another dangerous Danby corner, forcing Bowness into a good reaction save from close-range.

Owen, who had impressed all afternoon for the Cheshire outfit, left the crossbar rattling as she struck a fierce volley from distance, with Simpson then called upon to deny substitute Harriet Houghton's follow up.

The Hatters' captain went one better 10 minutes from time, stepping up to curl a stunning free kick past Simpson and into the back of the net from 25 yards out.

Again, however, the Whites showed real character in their response to falling behind and levelled proceedings within a matter of moments!

Danby sent in another pin-point delivery from the right which the freshly introduced Katie Astle rose highest to meet, powering a header into the back of the net, despite deflections off both Francesca Davies and Houghton at the back post.

Both sides had chances to win it late on, with Gillin first spurning a glorious opportunity for Stockport as she saw a close-range range strike loop over the bar, before Alice Hughes headed straight at Bowness with the last touch of the game.

FULL TIME: Stockport County 3-3 Leeds United