Sheffield Wednesday Ladies denied seventh consecutive win against unbeaten opposition

Sheffield Wednesday Ladies fell to a 4-1 defeat against a Brunsmeer Athletic WFC team that remain unbeaten this season.

The away side had accumulated a highly impressive +39 goal difference prior to kick-off, conceding just three in their five matches, and as a result, Kieron Lee opted for a slightly more defensive approach in comparison to last week’s win that saw his side victorious in the cup.

The game was made even more difficult with the absence of Rachel Norsworthy, who scored a well-taken goal last week, but on a positive note Renée Simmonite-Scott had returned to the XI; a player so crucial in the centre of the park for Wednesday.

But it only took the away side six minutes to get off the mark as Lisa Giampala collected the ball in the box and managed to play it into the path of Chez Mawhood - she was on hand to dispatch it past Wednesday keeper, Kirsty Tonner.

In fairness it was always going to be difficult to diminish the threat of Mawhood - a player who scored six in her last game as they beat Brinsworth Whitehill. The onslaught on the Owlesses' goal only continued after a fierce shot from Brunsmeer’s number 10 only just sailed over the crossbar.

The right-side of Wednesday’s defence was constantly getting targeted, and the quality of the away side was evident in the partnership of Millie Kenyon and Giampala, a duo that were a constant handful for Aleks Fox.

So Wednesday will have been happy to go into the interval just one goal behind, especially considering the opposition’s last game in they were ahead by seven after the first 45 minutes.

Despite a fairly positive defensive opening half, Wednesday changed shape to a 4-5-1 formation with the hope of sitting back and absorbing the pressure - the plan, it seemed, was to then hit the away side on the counter.

And it came into fruition 20 minutes after the restart. A Brunsmeer throw-in on the halfway line was intercepted, and after some intricate passing down the right-hand side found Simmonite-Scott. It was she threaded the needle through to Amy Broomhead who, in typical fashion, thundered her shot into the corner of Georgia Beddis’ goal. 

The assist was one to admire as the midfielder’s quick pivot on the ball to then see Broomhead making her trademark darting run through the defence, and credit is due for placing it inch-perfect on a plate for Wednesday’s number eight to bag her 14th goal of the season.

Despite the goal, getting anything from the game soon became an uphill battle - Molly Crossland was sin-binned five minutes after Wednesday’s breakthrough, and in controversial fashion, the away side got back in-front after they took a quick freekick. The referee allowed them to do so, though there were plenty of complaints from Wednesday’s players suggesting that the goal should not have stood.

All of the Owlesses’ hard work had been undone in a matter of seconds, and after some pace and lovely skill from Brunsmeer’s right winger late on in the game it was soon out of Wednesday’s reach. 3-1.

And it got worse. Some intricate passing from the away side, building up to a wondrous finish from Kenyon in the 91st minutem saw the game dead and buried - Wednesday had fallen to a 4-1 loss in their final game before the Christmas break.

The defeat, as well as the results elsewhere, sees Wednesday drop down to second on goal difference, as Kiveton Park continue their winning run.

Lee’s side will be back in action on January 7th as they face a trip to AFC Bentley, before their first home game after the break at The Jubilee against Mosborough Ladies.