Derby County Women returned to winning ways in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division with a 4-3 home victory over Liverpool Feds at the Don Amott Arena.
Kira Rai netted the opening goal of the contest on 39 minutes when she met Dolcie O’Connor’s in-swinging set piece delivery.
Emelia Wilson doubled the Ewes’ advantage on 47 minutes with a close-range finish before Amy Sims netted the side's third on 55 minutes.
O’Connor added a fourth with a low strike on the hour mark, two minutes before the visitors pulled a goal back.
Feds then halved the deficit on 64 minutes with a shot that evaded the stretching arm of Anna Draper before netting again in added time.
A week after winning the FA Women’s National League Plate against Cambridge United, the Ewes returned to home soil for the first time since that success.
It was a tight contest early on, with neither side giving each other time on the ball nor passing up any opportunities.
Derby enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and penetrated the Feds goal without testing goalkeeper Jen Handy.
Forward Eleanor Ashton managed to win a corner off Handy after her solo run had breached the visitors’ defence.
Sims then shot straight at the goalkeeper from a good position as the Ewes searched for the opening goal.
And the deadlock was soon broken shortly before the interval, when Rai connected with O’Connor’s corner to send the ball past Handy.
The Ewes made the perfect start to the second half as within two minutes of the restart, captain Sims set up midfielder Wilson to slot home.
Feds looked to respond immediately, and Draper had to pull off a big save to deny Chantelle Thompson.
The game was opening up and O’Connor had a chance to make it three but curled her effort over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.
Sims though would make no mistake, however, shortly afterwards by latching onto a through-ball and lifting a shot over the on-rushing goalkeeper with ease.
O’Connor then added a fourth with a curling finish into the bottom corner before Beth Donoghue pounced on a mistake at the back to grab a goal for the visitors.
Feds managed to score another two minutes later, with Donoghue again the beneficiary, before netting her hat-trick in added time.
Despite that, the Ewes were full value for all three points in their final home fixture of the 2023/24 campaign and will conclude the campaign at Burnley next Sunday.
Derby County Women: Draper (GK), Sims (C) (Sheridan 57), Steggles, Wilson, Joyce, Ward, Ashton, Jenkins, Rai (Rhodes-Andrews 72), Meadows, O’Connor.
Substitutes Not Used: Morgan (GK), Shepherd, Towers.
Liverpool Feds Women: Handy, Fletcher, Walsh, Johnson, Kinvig-Wardale (Davies 67), Parry, Thompson (C), Anderson, Cole, Donoghue, Collins.
Substitutes Not Used: Seagraves, Richardson, Pope.
Words:
Ciaran Morrison.
