MATCH REPORT: Derby County Women 0-3 West Bromwich Albion Women

Derby County Women fell to a 3-0 loss against West Bromwich Albion in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division at the Don Amott Arena on Sunday.

Despite a battling display, with the Ewes seeing a flurry of chances in the first half, Derby were downed by a ruthless period of play by West Brom late on, which saw goals from Fran Orthodoxou and Ellie May in the 75th and 76th minutes, as well as Phoebe Warner in added time.

The result saw Head Coach Sam Griffiths’ side taste defeat for the first time in the five matches, after winning four consecutive matches ahead of the meeting with the Baggies.

Key Moments

Derby started on the front foot and, in the ninth minute, Georgia Stevens latched onto a great pass from the middle of the park and put an inviting cross into the box. Kate Oakley rose to flick it towards the penalty spot, but a sea of yellow and green shirts was there to meet it.

The game fizzled out as both teams tried to gain control. It was Derby once again in the 25th minute who had the better chance, as Hannah Sparkes sent a looped ball toward the penalty spot, falling at the feet of Olivia Edwards. Her effort was blocked, but Stevens arrived with a follow-up, which was deflected out for a corner.

Derby really began to hunt for the first goal as Oakley, Stevens, and Minnie Wilson bore down on goal. Oakley beat her marker and fizzed a ball goalward, which struck the outside of the upright.

The Ewes were in the ascendancy as Becky May fired a signature strike from distance that was destined for the top corner had it not been for an unbelievable save from Albion goalkeeper Charlotte Clarke.

With half-time approaching, Derby were really piling on the pressure, and in the 38th minute, another huge chance went begging. Stevens again made a clever run and flicked the ball goalward, which forced Clarke out of her net again; it deflected only as far as Edwards, whose follow-up was steered into the hands of Clarke.

At the start of the second period, Albion’s Monique Robinson sent a clever ball into Warner, who tried an audacious chip that hit the crossbar. After some fantastic defending in the goalmouth, Derby finally managed to clear the ball to safety.

In the 70th minute, Yasmin Mason made a lung-busting run from her own half to the Albion 18-yard box before delivering a great cross to the back post. Nobody was there to meet it, and it ran out for a throw-in.

West Brom broke the deadlock in the 75th minute as Orthodoxou struck the ball on the volley and wrapped it perfectly into the side netting beyond Lucy Jones from a free-kick.

A second goal was soon to follow for the Baggies as May scored from a Marli-Rhodes Andrews' flick-on from a set-piece, firing low into the back of the net from a few yards out.

Deep into stoppage time, Warner finished the game off and scored Albion’s third of the afternoon.

Derby will now look to get back to winning ways when they travel to Hull City Ladies next Sunday (2pm kick-off).