Sherborne 0
United 0
TORQUAY UNITED WOMEN SEAL TITLE AND PROMOTION
Torquay United’s women will be playing FA Women’s National League next season, after Ryan Perks’ side secured they need to take the South West Regional Women’s Football League Premier title.
United’s last remaining challengers, Forest Green Rovers, had finished their campaign an hour earlier than The Gulls with a 5-0 win at Bishops Lydeard, leaving Torquay safe in the knowledge that only a hugely unlikely 23-goal defeat would rob them of a return to the fourth tier of women’s football following two years away.
Sherborne have always proven to be a tough adversary for United, and it proved so once again.
Despite Ilminster Town’s smart new stadium providing a nice backdrop for Torquay’s day of celebrations, there was in truth little to report in the way of goalscoring chances.
Beth Everson was by far United’s most likely source of a goal, and she did force Town’s goalkeeper into a fine near-post save in the first half.
That said, Gulls stopper Ellie Mitchell produced the game’s best save, with a excellent low parry to keep he scores level just before the break.
Things were no easier for Perks’ side after the restart, with chances again at a premium.
Roxy Thomas, with a shot from the edge of the box, and substitute Connie Pengelly, with a right-footed free-kick both came reasonably close to finding the net with shots that went wide of the right and left posts respectively, but the most important moment cam at the final whistle, with the referee’s closing action signally United’s moment of achievement and success.
FA Women’s National League, here we come!
UNITED: 13. Ellie Mitchell, 3. Roxy Thomas, 5. Amii Kearley, 7. Carmen Morison, 8. Katelyn Bell, 9. Beth Everson, 14. Jasmine Barker, 15. Georgie Knott, 16. Jess Geach, 20. Tee Kaptein, 29. Mollie Taylor (c).
SUBS: 1. Esme Bradley (GK), 2. Lucy Palmer, 6. Matilda Franchi, 10. Connie Pengelly, 12. Isabel Hillier-Nickels..
