Our Women’s First Team played out a stalemate in their opening game of the 2024/25 campaign in front of 373 supporters at Blundell Park.

Head Coach Ben Challen made one change from his side’s comeback win over Lower Hopton in the First Qualifying round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup last weekend, bringing in Rosie Barker for Harriet Dalton in the backline.

Barker was joined at the back by Leah Wray, Chloe Thorpe and Olivia Kershaw, with Captain Dani Brighton sat alongside Laura Flecknor in front of the Mariner’s defence.

Holly Smith, Pariss Welsh and Abbie Emslie operated further up field, with Beth Wharton in the number nine role up front.

The Mariners started off on the front foot and were unlucky not to be ahead within the first few minutes.

Holly Smith frustratingly hit the post after only a couple of minutes on the clock and a couple of chances fell for striker Beth Wharton, but her efforts were saved comfortably by Jessica Lee in the Dronfield goal.

Another chance fell for the hosts, when Smith’s effort headed straight at Lee, but Wharton’s rebound headed off target.

The Mariner’s number nine had another opportunity to give us the lead as she snatched the ball from the feet of a Dronfield defender. Her follow-up shot lacked power as it headed straight at Lee.

Chloe Gray in the Mariner’s net had a quiet first 20 minutes of the match, with Dronfield’s first chance of the half bringing her into action to make a superb save to deny them the chance to gain an advantage in the game.

Dronfield took the lead with approximately ten minutes to go in the first-half. A high corner came in and the follow-up ricocheted off the underside of the bar. Despite a sea of black and white shirts trying to clear the ball off the line, the referee blew his whistle to confirm it had gone over.

Wharton got an equaliser minutes before the end of the first-half. The Town striker received the ball in plenty of space and had the time to calmly slot the ball into the back of the net to level the score going into the break.

SECOND HALF

The Mariners started the second-half on the back foot, with Dronfield being able to progress the ball forward into the final third and find pockets of space in the midfield to drive the ball forward.

The first chance of the second-half, however, did fall for Town. Substitute Ray Swallow layed the ball off centrally, with Wharton and substitute Lily Jacklin both running onto it. The pace of the ball, however, allowed Dronfield shot-stopper Lee to be first to it.

Wharton got her brace five minutes into the second-half. Jacklin played the ball into the Striker, allowing her to run onto it and drag it past the keeper, with only a Dronfield defender to beat before finding the back of the net.

Dronfield kept the pressure on the Town backline, with their set pieces causing plenty of problems for the hosts.

A looping corner dropped in front of Gray in between the sticks, but she did well to parry away the danger.

Another chance for the visitors saw the ball played into the box, but Chloe Thorpe was there to make it difficult for the Dronfield attacker to get the ball out of her feet.

Dronfield’s pressure paid off when they equalised in the 65th minute. A powerful effort from the edge of the box was too much for Gray as it soared into the back of the net.

An Olivia Kershaw free-kick was headed wide by Jacklin as the Mariners pushed to gain an advantage in the game.

A golden opportunity came for the visitors to take the lead with 15 minutes to go. The ball fell to Dronfield’s number eight in the middle of the box, but her effort went over the cross bar.

Dronfield found themselves with the ball in the back of the net long after, but the offside flag was up.

A chance fell for the Mariners before the final whistle blew, but the game finished with the points being shared.

The Mariners are next in action this weekend as they travel to face Gainsborough Trinity at the Venue at Roses in a 2pm kick-off.

Town: C. Gray, Wray, Brighton, Kershaw, Thorpe, Emslie, Flecknor, Wharton, Smith, Welsh, Barker

Subs: Dalton, Jacklin, Fawcett, S. Gray, Swallow