SSFC Women on the wrong end of 10-goal thriller against Brunsmeer Athletic

South Shields Women were on the wrong end of a 10-goal thriller on Sunday, as they rounded their NERWFL Premier Division campaign with a 6-4 defeat on the road to Brunsmeer Athletic Women.

The Mariners were shocked by a very clinical Brunsmeer side, who went into the break three goals to the good.

They would then add another with almost 20 minutes remaining before chaos ensued – nearly 15 minutes later, the scoreline was 6-3 to the hosts, and in the 13th minute of added time, Shields pulled another goal back.

While the second-half was much improved given Shields’ situation at half-time, the damage had already been done and the lasses went back to the North East empty-handed.

If anything, it started just three minutes into the game when Millie Kenyon – one of the division’s most prolific forwards – rifled in her finish into the far-right corner.

Brunsmeer’s dominating start continued, when in the 19th minute, Harriet Lloyd doubled their advantage, this time aiming her shot into the far-left corner.

Two goals became three just before the half-hour mark to cap off a nightmare start for the Mariners, when Kenyon’s corner was headed in by an eager Bradie Wild.

The goals dried up from that point until the final 20 minutes, but the Mariners had some chances too.

Natalie May fed Reese Hopkinson through on goal and it seemed like she could have struck the ball into the back of the net herself, but by unselfishly playing in Connie Graham, the chance dissipated and the attacker was called offside.

Natalie Shaw capitalised on a May mistake at the back to net Brunsmeer’s fourth unanswered goal, though that seemed to spark some much-needed life into Shields’ attacking efforts.

Within 90 seconds, Madison Bouggess scored her 15th goal of the season for the First Team.

Yet it took just two minutes for Melissa Turton-Burrell to poke home Brunsmeer’s fifth goal from close range.

Four minutes later, Tianna Hill threaded a wonderfully-hit through ball to Graham who was one-on-one with Lois Roberts, with the Shields forward winning out that particular battle.

Shaw fired a fantastic hit past Anna Yeakey in the 82nd minute to restore the host’s four goal advantage, but that was quickly extinguished when Julie Raffel scored for Shields a minute later.

A lengthy period of added time was played after Kristina Simpson suffered a heavy blow during the latter stages, and Shields made that extra time count when Graham slotted home her second goal of the game.

Shortly after, the full-time whistle blew and the lasses ended their league campaign in defeat.

Shields now look ahead to their final game of the season – the NERWFL League Cup Final against Leeds Modernians Women; full details to be shared soon.

Brunsmeer Athletic Women: Roberts, Fox, Damms, Hallam, Shaw, Wild, Kenyon, Millar, Lloyd, McKeegan, Brown.

Substitutes: Turton-Burrell, Burnley, Ashton, Cannell.

Goals: Kenyon (3’), Lloyd (19’), Wild (29’), Shaw (71’, 82’), Turton-Burrell (75’).

South Shields Women: Yeakey, Simpson, May, Robinson, Killeen, Hopkinson, Wootten, McDonald, Scarpiello, Bouggess, Raffel.

Substitutes: Graham, Hill (both played), Miller (did not play).

Goals: Bouggess (72’), Graham (79’, 90+13’), Raffel (83’).