SSFC Women defeated in opening game of the season

South Shields Women suffered a heavy 7-1 defeat against Spennymoor Town Ladies in their opening game of the season.

The lasses went away from Sunday’s game at The Brewery Field empty-handed.

Five of the eight goals came in the first-half, with the hosts opening the scoring just three minutes in through Holly Doogan.

The hosts then doubled their lead 12 minutes later, thanks to Shannon Reed’s effort.

Soon after, Meg Elliott put the hosts three ahead.

The fourth goal came in the 37th minute when Sophie Hodgson tucked in from a free-kick.

The Mariners then got a goal of their own, one that came through a Sophie White-Mellish own goal.

Three more goals were scored by Spennymoor in the second-half, from Ellie Smith, Kelly Garcia and Amy Richardson, in the 50th, 88th and 90th minutes.

The Mariners came into Sunday’s fixture hoping to start the campaign strong.

The lasses had faced Spennymoor Town in April and they hoped to emulate the 6-2 performance they displayed at The Brewery Field last season.

The hosts started quickly, picking up their first goal three minutes into the match, as Doogan slotted in from the left-side.

The second goal of the game came soon after as, again, Doogan marched down the left hand side, whipped a ball into the box, however the clearance saw it reach Reed who scored from distance.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Anna Yeakey made a tremendous save, denying Hodgson for the second time in eight minutes.

A minute later, Elliott volleyed the host’s third in from a corner.

Eight minutes before half-time, Spennymoor added a fourth, as Hodgson flicked in from Richardson’s free-kick.

Almost immediately afterwards, the Mariners got on the scoresheet; a White-Mellish own goal.

Shields began the second-half quickly, with Eve Gatens coming close after a short free-kick.

Less than a minute after that chance, Smith tucked away Spennymoor’s fifth goal of the game.

Shortly after, Yeakey once more displayed her goalkeeping quality, tipping the ball over the bar from Richardson’s free-kick.

Although trailing four goals to the good, the Mariners were still creating chances and were in pursuit of another consolation goal.

These chances were close to paying off, as in the 74th minute, Shields struck the woodwork.

Gatens found Faye Killeen, who picked up space thanks to some terrific movement; the forward drove towards Philippa Hunter and struck at goal.

Fortune was not on her side, as the ball rattled off the post.

One minute before the full-time whistle blew, Richardson curled in from a free-kick to get Spennymoor’s seventh and final goal.

Spennymoor Town Ladies: Hunter, A. Elliott, M. Elliott, McIntosh, Hodgson, White-Mellish, Richardson, Hemmingway, Reed, Doogan, Garcia.

Substitutes: Zapata, Priestley, Smith, Robinson, Rackstraw.

Goals: Doogan (3’), Reed (15’), Elliott (21’), Hodgson (37’), Smith (50’), Garcia (88’), Richardson (90’).

South Shields Women: Yeakey, Burns, May, Robinson, Killeen, Legg, Gatens, White, McMahon, Jota, Green.

Substitutes: England.

Goals: Own Goal (39’)

Attendance: 137.