Our Women’s First Team made it six games unbeaten as they came from behind to play out a 1-1 draw away at Notts County Women Development.
Abbie Emslie’s strike in the second-half cancelled out a Notts County opener in the first to see the points shared in Nottingham.
Ben Challen made two changes from the side that put five past Buxton on home soil last weekend, with Chloe Gray replacing Georgia Sylvester in the sticks and Ray Swallow earning a deserved place in the starting eleven, as Pariss Welsh took her place on the bench.
Despite a fast start to the game, both sides struggled to create any clear cut chances in the opening stages of the game.
Ben Challen was forced into an early substitution on the 15-minute mark, bringing off Alisha Dejonge after a heavy clash and replacing her with Pariss Welsh.
It was Captain Dani Brighton who had the first effort of the fixture. She opened her body and took aim from just outside the box, but her effort whistled past the post.
It was however the hosts who took the lead minutes later. Chloe Gray made an excellent save to deny the County striker her first effort, but she was unable to stop the rebound, giving the hosts the advantage in the tie.
Despite going a goal down, the Mariners searched for an equaliser.
Chances fell for forwards Abbie Emslie, Beth Wharton and Lily Jacklin before the break, but the visitors couldn’t level the score.
Beth Wharton found herself with an opportunity early on in the second period of the tie. Ray Swallow showed great strength as she shook off a challenge from a Notts County defender and put the ball through for Wharton. Wharton got her shot away, but the Magpies shot-stopper did well to come off her line to smother it.
The Mariners levelled the score with just over half an hour gone in the game. It was Emslie who was on target as she sent a wicked half volley flying into the back of the net.
The game slowed down from that moment, with Ben Challen making various substitutions to see the game out as it ended in a stalemate.
The Mariners are next in action on Sunday as they welcome Chesterfield Women to Blundell Park in a 2pm kick-off. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Town: C.Gray, Wray, Brighton, Kershaw, Thorpe, Emslie, Wharton, Dejonge, Jacklin, S.Gray, Swallow
Subs: Dalton, Welsh, Fawcett, Smith, Clapham
