MATCH REPORT: Derby County Women 1-2 Loughborough Lightning Women

Derby County Women were narrowly beaten in a 2-1 reverse in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division against Loughborough Lightning on Sunday afternoon.

The Ewes’ first home game of the season at the Don Amott Arena ended in defeat as the visitors took the lead after 20 minutes via Jess Collyer.

Despite Derby ramping up the pressure in the second half, they were held at bay by Lightning, who cemented their advantage with an 86th-minute strike from Lucy Cooper.

The Ewes pulled one back in added time as their pressure eventually told, with Kate Oakley scoring from the penalty spot, but the goal was too little too late for Derby as Loughborough took maximum points.

Key Moments

Derby started brightly in a competitive affair with a cross into the box from right-back Jess Melrose looking to trouble the Lightning back line early on, but goalkeeper Ash Naismith was alert to collect the ball.

The Ewes came close through attacker Minnie Wilson in the 16th minute as she bore down on goal but her effort was kept out by Naismith, who made an impressive stop and then launched a counter-attack for the visitors.

Naismith launched the attack, with Lightning threading a fluid move together down the flank and surging into the penalty area, but a well-timed tackle by Yasmin Mason quashed the danger.

The visitors took the lead in the 20th minute when Collyer spun in behind the defence and lifted the ball over the reach of Ewes goalkeeper Lucy Jones, who was running out to impede the lively attacker.

Derby looked for a response before the break, and a well-worked move from the left saw captain Emily Joyce lay the ball off to Olivia Edwards on the edge of the area. However, her attempt dragged wide of the mark.

The Ewes kept pushing early in the second half, but Jones was called into action as Lightning had the first real opportunity after the break. Collyer played Cooper into a shooting position, but Jones made herself big to block the shot.

Hannah Sparkes came close to notching an equaliser from distance in the 69th minute, as quick feet from the Derby defender saw her dribble beyond the opposition to create space on the edge of the box - but her curling effort flew just over the crossbar.

The match proved to be back and forth as a marauding run down the left wing by Mason saw her fire in a low cross that just evaded the grasp of Marnie Drake, who looked to wind up a shot from close range.

The rebound then landed at the feet of the Lightning defence, who launched a swift attack. Cooper went on a determined run towards goal from near the halfway line, going beyond the defence, but she was denied by an excellent save once one-on-one with goalkeeper Jones.

Loughborough doubled their advantage four minutes from time, when Cooper’s evasive run found her space down the inside-left, where she slotted a low strike into the back of the net.

Derby did mount a late comeback after an added-time penalty was won following tenacious work from Becky May - and it was soundly converted by Oakley to narrow the margin in a combative fixture.

Despite the lifeline for the Ewes, Loughborough saw the dying seconds out to claim the win.

The Ewes will aim to get their first league points of the season on the board when they head to the Riverside Stadium to face Middlesbrough on Sunday 31st August (2pm kick-off).

Team News

Derby County Women: Jones (GK), Melrose, Mason, Edwards (Stevens 61), Wildgoose (Ward 88), Joyce (C), Bryan (Drake 46), Oakley, Wilson (Wheeler 46), May, Sparkes.

Unused Substitutes: Wayne (GK), Skeldon, Shepherd.