Incredible comeback win for SSFC Women in Ossett

South Shields Women completed an incredible second half comeback to turn their visit to Ossett United Women on its head.

The lasses found themselves two goals behind at the break on Sunday, through goals by Chelsea Casey and Emily Starkie, but they turned up the heat and initiated the perfect response.

Eve Jones and Julie Raffel fired quick successive goals to draw the game level, and Tianna Hill – with thanks to a world-class header from Neve Platt – scored the winning goal with just a few minutes to spare.

It meant the Mariners picked up their first three points of the season in extraordinary fashion.

Ossett United opened the scoring directly from a free-kick in the 24th minute; Casey was the instigator, and her strike looped over the three-player wall and took a touch off Anna Yeakey on the way in.

A clashing between Sophie Sutton and a Sheepicorns player did little to prevent the stoppage of play, and a 40th-minute through ball was whipped over to Emily Burgin.

She cut back and offered Starkie the chance to fire on goal – her finish nestled into the bottom corner and it gave Shields a mountain to climb.

Fortune appeared to be on their side, however, and it took Jones to get on the end of a pin-point Eva McDonald delivery to go through one-on-one 11 minutes after the restart; she rounded Ella Jacobs and got one back.

Two minutes later, Raffel struck from distance and it appeared uncertain whether it crossed the line, but the goal was given after a moment’s deliberation and suddenly the Mariners were level.

Both teams looked threatening on the counter-attack, but it was Shields who made it count, and what a header it was from Platt to serve up Hill’s winning touch: an unbelievable goal all-round.

The lasses held on for a priceless victory, and Shields can now look forward to their Women’s FA Cup Second Round Qualifying tie at home to Hebburn Town Women – full match details to come soon.

Watch back all the goals from the game here.

Ossett United Women: Jacobs, Smith, Ayrton, Trickett, Holland, Woodcock, Casey, Burgin, Starkie, Allison, Housecroft.

Substitutes: Bragan, Burton.

Goals: Casey (24’), Starkie (40’).

South Shields Women: Yeakey, Ford, D. Sutton, S. Sutton, Wootten, Kubik, Raffel, Cairns, Jones, McDonald, Platt.

Substitutes: Hill, Killeen (both played).

Goals: Jones (56’), Raffel (58’), Hill (88’).