SSFC Women battle back to claim point against Sunderland West ENd

South Shields Women battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Sunderland West End Ladies on Sunday.

West End - who Shields battered 6-1 in the NERWFL League Cup only two weeks ago - stunned the Mariners through first-half finishes by Amelia Dale and Eve Jones.

However, Tianna Hill netted shortly before half-time and inspired an equaliser within a minute of the restart, but the team were unable to find a winner they would have deserved.

It is a result which keeps the Mariners in eighth place in the NERWFL Premier Division table.

Jones started the game off particularly bright for the hosts, who had everything to prove after the last meeting between the two teams.

She went one-on-one twice during the opening 10 minutes but Anna Yeakey won both battles with some confident blocks.

Dale opened the scoring for West End in the 16th minute with her lob from outside the box - Yeakey had a touch to it but it wasn’t enough to keep the ball out of the net.

Shields unsuccessfully pushed for an equaliser, with Natalie May’s eager delivery and Becki McMahon’s blocked shot among the chances during that spell of the game.

A sweeping cross from the right soared over Asia Jota in the 18-yard box and Jones was on the end of it to slot the ball past Yeakey, who again couldn’t clear the danger in time. 

Jota then rifled a shot wide for the Mariners, before Hill managed to round Summer Sawyer - her subsequent shot didn’t hit the target and it went out for a goal kick.

Hill more than made up for it with her follow-up brace - the first followed some tidy hold-up play while the second was a luscious hit from close range.

Allison Ferris came close to giving the hosts the lead during the second-half, with her shot rifling off the crossbar, but it was Shields who threatened more after the restart.

Chances for Hill and Annece Legg towards the end could, and potentially should, have seen the game won but it wasn’t to be and the two teams settled for a point apiece.

The lasses now look ahead to Spennymoor Town Ladies in the next round of the NERWFL League Cup.

Sunderland West End Ladies (starting XI): Sawyer, Dodds, Linsley, Brischuk, Smith, Kaur, Dale, Ferris, Cairns, Jones, Howe.

Substitutes: Ames, Reynolds.

Goals: Dale (16’), Jones (36’).

South Shields Women (starting XI): Yeakey, May, Legg, Wootten, England, McMahon, Hoot (Bouggess 32’), Jota, Green, Hill, Raffel.

Substitutes: Rodriguez, Bouggess (Hoot 76’), Miller.

Goals: Hill (45+2, 46’).