MATCH REPORT: Rugby Borough Women 6-0 Derby County Women

Derby County Women succumbed to defeat on the opening day of the 2025/26 FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division against Rugby Borough Women on Sunday.

Despite an action-packed first half seeing both teams have chances, it was the hosts who took the initiative with a clinical display in the second half, earning them all three points by netting six times without reply.

The Ewes will look to respond in two more games this week as they head to Notts County Women in the FA Women’s National League Cup on Tuesday night (7:45pm kick-off) before hosting Loughborough Lightning Women in their first home game of the campaign at the Don Amott Arena in Mickleover on Sunday (2pm kick-off).

Key Moments

Head Coach Sam Griffiths named a starting line-up with six players making their competitive debuts, including defenders Jess Melrose and Hannah Sparkes; midfielders Liv Edwards and Ell Bryan; and attacker Minnie Wilson.

The game began in a lively manner, with both teams having their spells of possession and dominance.

After a prolonged move, Derby threatened down the right flank when Melrose was played into space and crossed into the box. The delivery looked to be dangerous but evaded all on-comers and overshot the penalty area.

Rugby’s first chance came when Katy Morris fired near after the hosts pressed and won the ball on the right flank. The ball was squared to Morris, and she wrapped it around the wrong side of the post.

Both sides continued to mount attacking moves in the first half, but both came up against stubborn defensive resistance to send the game into the break goalless.

Derby goalkeeper Lucy Jones was called into action five minutes into the second period as she made a fantastic diving save to deny the hosts from close range after a cross into a packed penalty box.

Borough’s strong start to the second half saw them get their reward when a corner kick was nodded home by Morris.

They doubled their advantage in the 63rd minute when Yasmin Mosby won the ball high up and handed off to Ebony Wiseman, who slotted a low shot into the bottom left corner.

Ewes midfielder Becky May looked close to getting one back in the 68th minute after her effort from distance sailed just beyond the crossbar.

But the game was sewn up after a ruthless final 15 minutes saw Rugby net four times as they took advantage of the Ewes pushing to get back into the tie as Mai Moncaster scored with 10 minutes of regulation time remaining.

Then a hat-trick from Sofia Mason, the first coming on 86 minutes and the last in the fifth minute of added time.

Derby have a chance to mount a quick response after their loss as they look ahead to the newly introduced FA Women's National League Cup Group Stage, with their first Group P match away against Notts County at Coronation Park on Tuesday night (7:45pm kick-off).

Derby County Women: Jones (GK), Melrose (Stevens 66), Mason, Edwards, Joyce (C), Bryan (Drake 59), Oakley, Wilson (Wheeler 70), Shepherd (Ward 87), May, Sparkes.

Substitutes Not Used: Morgan (GK), Skeldon.

Images: Terri Lee.