FA Women’s Super League 2: Tottenham Hotspur Ladies 1 Doncaster Rovers Belles 4

On the culmination of FA Girls’ Football Week and with the Armed Forces in attendance for Remembrance Sunday at Cheshunt FC, Spurs Ladies made their mark off the pitch, but it was a different story altogether on, which saw Doncaster Rovers Belles run out as 4-1 winners.

The first chance of the FA Women’s Super League 2 clash saw Belles’ Kirsty Hanson break on the left and cut inside prior to striking across goal which evaded the far-post with nine minutes on the clock.

Tottenham responded through Bianca Baptiste when she shimmied on the left and struck across goal with menace, but it flew past the right post four minutes later.

With a quarter-of-an-hour played, Baptiste paced down the right crossing towards Coral-Jade Haines whose far-post header gave Sarah Wiltshire the opportunity to half-volley inside the near-post, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Three minutes on, it was the visitors who struck the first blow. Hanson latched onto loose possession deep in the final third, before Ryah Vyse inadvertently turned her strike across goal past Toni-Anne Wayne.

Sophie Walton’s deep cross found Christie Murray to head in with 22 minutes played, but the flag saved Spurs and it stayed 1-0.

With 34 minutes played, Karen Hills’ side did concede a second when Hanson’s left wing cross found Jess Sigsworth, who bundled the ball into the bottom corner.

Soon after Walton’s deep cross was headed out towards Sigsworth, whose strike from distance dipped over the upright a minute before the half drew to a close.

Five minutes following the restart, Sigsworth looked for a one-on-one breaking away, but Ashleigh Neville recovered to hook the danger clear.

Renee Hector then broke out from the back and played over the top for Wendy Martin to attempt a lob, which Nikki Davies stayed big to block after 55 minutes.

Wiltshire drifted inside off the right, popped into Katie O’Leary whose dipper from 20-yards was held by Davies two minutes later as Spurs continued to press.

The Belles showed their threat, however, when Murray collected Hanson’s splitting pass and found the inside of the post, but the offside flag denied Doncaster on 62 minutes.

Watson pounced onto Murray’s cutting pass inside the area soon after and slotted across goal for three with 66 minutes played.

With 79 played, it was 4-0 when Hanson’s cross from the left was headed in by Murray inside the six-yard box.

Tottenham nearly pulled one back when Baptiste’s looped cross from the left eventually dropped to Lauren Pickett, but her header from close range was stopped by Davies in the 85th minute.

On the stroke of the 90, Spurs’ persistence paid off when Martin manoeuvred an effort past Davies and in for a late consolation goal, but it counted for little in the end.

Spurs Ladies: 1. Toni-Anne Wayne, 5. Sophie Mclean, 19. Ryah Vyse, 6. Renee Hector, 29. Ashleigh Neville, 16. Maya Vio (12. Hannah Mackenzie 45), 4. Josie Green (10. Wendy Martin 45), 23. Coral-Jade Haines (17. Lauren Pickett 81), 14. Katie O’Leary, 8. Bianca Baptiste, 7. Sarah Wiltshire. Substitutes (not used): 21. Chloe Morgan, 2. Lucia Leon, 3. Leah Rawle, 24. Ronnell Humes.

Doncaster Rovers Belles: 1. Nikki Davies, 18. Sophie Barker, 2. Mayumi Pacheco, 5. Rhiannon Roberts, 4. Leandra Little, 3. Sam Tierney, 8. Sophie Walton, 7. Kirsty Hanson, 11. Jess Sigsworth (6. Chloe Peplow 76), 10. Christie Murray, 12. Rebecca Raynor (9. Monique Watson 45). Substitutes (not used): 15. Rachel Newborough.

Attendance: 439