Grimsby Town Women fought back from 2-1 down to earn a point in a hard-fought 2-2 draw away at Stamford AFC Women on Sunday afternoon.
Brooke Howe opened the scoring with her first competitive goal for the club, before Stamford turned the game around to take a 2-1 lead into the interval.
Beth Wharton levelled shortly after the restart, and despite Town being temporarily reduced to ten players, the Mariners created the better chances in the second half but could not find a winner.
First half
Town made a bright start at the Borderville Sports Centre, with the first opportunity falling to the Mariners inside the opening two minutes, although the Stamford goalkeeper was able to hold the effort comfortably.
Jasmin Lacey was then called into action at the other end, producing an excellent save low to her left to keep the scores level.
Town took the lead on 15 minutes following a fine move.
Beth Wharton’s build-up play created the opening for Howe, who looked up from the edge of the area before picking out the corner to register her first competitive goal for the Mariners.
Stamford responded and began to put pressure on Town, with Lacey making another important intervention before the hosts hit the bar with a fierce effort.
The home side were awarded a penalty on 23 minutes after Lacey came racing out of her goal and caught the Stamford forward. The Town goalkeeper went the right way but could not prevent the hosts from drawing level.
Stamford then completed the turnaround six minutes before half-time, taking a 2-1 lead into the break.
Second half
Town came out strongly after the interval and quickly restored parity.
A great ball forward from Leah Wray sent Wharton through on goal, and while the Stamford defence looked for an offside flag, she kept her composure to finish beyond the goalkeeper and make it 2-2.
Wharton went close to adding another shortly afterwards, forcing a save from the Stamford goalkeeper after cutting inside, before going through again on 66 minutes but seeing her effort held.
Town were temporarily reduced to ten players on 59 minutes when Pariss Welsh was sin-binned, but the Mariners continued to create opportunities despite being a player down.
Issy Thompson fired over from distance before Milly North went close late on, taking on two players before seeing her effort comfortably gathered.
Town continued to push for a winner in the closing stages but were unable to find the decisive third goal, with the points ultimately shared in South Lincolnshire.
Player of the Match
- Opposition Player of the Match: Beth Wharton (sponsored by the Mariners Trust)
- Supporters’ Player of the Match: Laura Flecknor
Town: Jasmin Lacey, Leah Wray, Sophie Gray, Scarlett Norman, Rowen Crawshaw, Abbie Emslie, Laura Flecknor, Beth Wharton, Brooke Howe, Milly North, Pariss Welsh.
Subs: Brooke Mayall, Tilly Burnett, Alisha Dejonge, Isobel Thompson.
UTM
