REPORT: Derby County Women 1-2 Sporting Khalsa

Derby County Women fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Sporting Khalsa in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division on Sunday.

Ebonie Locke’s looping effort from wide cancelled out an early strike from Ella Thompson-Moulding.

But Lowri Walker’s lob secured the win for the visitors in an eventful second half.

Sam Griffiths’ side came into the contest off the back of two draws on the road in the space of a week – with a 2-2 draw against Halifax last Sunday followed by a 1-1 result against Stoke City on Wednesday night.

Bryony Donnison also made her Ewes debut a week after signing for the club on loan from Aston Villa.

Key moments

The first chance of the afternoon fell the way of Khalsa, former Ewe Sarah Tweedie worked Lucy Jones with a shot from a tight angle before seeing her follow-up blocked.

Derby’s first real attack came at the end of a hotly contested opening ten minutes; Ella Bryan’s cross from the right flashed across the face of goal, but was missed by everyone.

A golden chance for the visitors came moments later, Daisy Wickett shooting just wide of Jones’ left-hand post from inside the box.

Becky May curled a wide free kick into the side netting as action continued at both ends.

Juan Dupozo’s side took the lead in the 20th minute, Thompson-Moulding rifling a 20-yard strike into the bottom-left corner after the Ewes failed to clear their lines from a corner.

A spell of pressure for Sam Griffiths’ side resulted in multiple teasing deliveries from Yasmin Mason, which were just beyond their targets as Derby pushed for a leveller.

But a succession of fouls marred the play, stopping the game from finding a flow. A couple of chances in quick succession fell the way of Kate Oakley, but she could not find the target.

As the first half came to a close, Derby worked a close-range chance for Bryony Donnison in the inside-right, but the Aston Villa loanee couldn’t keep her shot down.

Then May’s speculative strike flew wide of Khalsa keeper Elise Stocking’s left-hand post.

HALF-TIME: Derby County Women 0-1 Sporting Khalsa

Half-time substitute Chenè Muir nearly made an immediate impact when she shot the wrong side of the post three minutes into the second period.

May then curled two near-identical free kicks, taken from 25 yards out in the inside-right, agonisingly over the bar.

Ebonie Locke equalised in spectacular fashion in the 59th minute. After the ball was played short to her on the right flank, the full back burst away from her marker and looped the ball in at the far post.

But Louri Walker restored Khalsa’s lead within five minutes, lobbing Jones from distance.

Pushing for a second leveller, Mia Wheeler blasted an effort towards Stocking’s near post, but the shot-stopper was equal to it.

May’s 35-yard free kick was more difficult. But Stocking dived down to her left to claw the audacious effort away.

Khalsa came close to a third with four minutes to play, Maddie Williams rattling the crossbar from 30 yards out.

In the increasingly frantic closing stages, Georgia Stevens was denied her third goal in as many games. The striker met Emily Joyce’s floated delivery with a bullet header, but it was saved excellently by Stocking from point-blank range.

Despite, a dominant second-half display, the Ewes could not find the equalising goal

Team News

Derby County Women: Jones (GK), Mason, Edwards (Stevens 75), Joyce (C), Bryan (Muir 46), Ward (Melrose 86), Oakley (Wheeler 66), Donnison, Locke, May, Sparkes.

Unused substitutes: Morgan (GK), Thomas, Wilson.