Albion Women were beaten by Halifax in the FAWNL Northern Premier on Sunday afternoon.
The Baggies couldn’t find a reply to Eleanor Ashton’s 50th-minute strike as they were condemned to a 1-0 defeat at the Alexander Stadium.
Manager Siobhan Hodgetts-Still made two changes to the side that secured their Adobe Women’s FA Cup progression against Cambridge United last weekend. Ellie McFarlane replaced Ella Haughey at left-back, while Hannah George came in as the second alteration to the back-line.
The Baggies had plenty of openings throughout the first half. Midfielder Monique Robinson was the first to take aim as she latched onto a loose ball in the Halifax penalty area – only to blaze over the bar.
Forward Ellie May, in pursuit of her third in as many games, was then slipped behind the visiting defence, but could only find the legs of Maddie Crosbie as she got down low to smother the effort.
Just before half-time, Fran Orthodoxou made a darting run beyond the opposition defence, but couldn’t get the necessary power behind her shot to beat the visiting goalkeeper.
It was Halifax who would eventually take the lead. Macy Settle found room to cross down the right-hand-side, leaving Ashton to roll a calculated finish past Charlotte Clarke.
Hodgetts-Still’s side endeavoured to find a reply as Crosbie tipped over a nonchalant chip from Robinson, which looked destined for the top corner. Shortly after, she handed May the chance to roll beyond the goalkeeper, and she gladly did – only to look to her left and see the assistant referee holding the offside flag.
That would turn out to be the final act in-front of the Halifax goal, as Albion came away empty-handed.
Albion: Clarke; Reynolds, Green, George, McFarlane (Creaney 61’); Rabjohn, Orthodoxou (Kehoe 90’), Pullen (Oakley 61’), Warner; Robinson, May.
Substitutes: Johnson, Sharp, Hammond-McLean, Evans.
