SSFC Women witness 14-goal thriller vs Hartlepool United

South Shields Women witnessed a 14-goal thriller against Hartlepool United Women in their fourth pre-season friendly on Thursday night.

Spectators saw nine goals be scored during the first half, with the scoreline 5-4 to the Mariners at the game’s midpoint, before another five goals were added after the restart to finish 8-6.

Among the main talking points was Eve Jones’ ‘haul’ (meaning four goals scored), which included a first half hat-trick, in what was another staggering feat during a staggering game of football.

Daisy Sutton netted her first goal in claret and blue, while Neve Platt got on the scoresheet during the opening 45 minutes, and Tianna Hill and Milly Cairns were also involved with goals.

Platt made an immediate impact as Hill suffered a minor injury within the first minute, and the central midfielder took her place in the team for portions of the game.

It was Platt who offered Sutton an assist in the 13th minute with a swooping free-kick from the right hand side, which was parried away before the Shields player got enough on the rebound for it to bounce off the post and go into the net.

About 40 seconds later, Jones scored her first of four goals, when she latched on the end of Platt’s pass, cut inside and swung her ball into the far corner and over the Poolies goalkeeper.

However, the hosts quickly brought themselves back into the game, and they were level by the 22nd minute.

The score wouldn’t be level for long – get used to seeing that one – Sophie Sutton hit a luscious delivery from the half-way line onto the inevitable Jones, who only needed one touch to score.

In the 34th minute, Hartlepool would equalise yet again, before Platt responded a minute later.

Hartlepool then issued a response of their own two minutes afterwards, but Shields went into the break one goal to the good thanks to Jones, who scored a nearly identical goal to her second strike to complete the hat-trick.

It seemed to be more of the same in terms of goals after play resumed: Jones fed a beautifully-timed touch through to a charging Hill who slotted her effort into the bottom-left corner just eight minutes into the second half.

Five minutes later, Hartlepool scored, but Cairns had something special in mind on the hour mark.

There was a small scramble for the ball between Hartlepool players and the Mariners’ Julie Raffel, which resulted in Cairns being handed the ball, and chance, on a plate to score from.

Things then went abnormally quiet – no goals for 19 minutes – until Jones woke everybody up when she rounded the ‘keeper and finished into an empty net to put Shields three goals ahead.

While the hosts got one back in the 86th minute, the game was finished in terms of goals at that point, and Shields secured their first win of pre-season in unusual circumstances.

The lasses are back in action away to Boldon CA Ladies on Thursday, August 20th – match information will be available on our social media pages closer to matchday.

South Shields Women (starting XI): Miller, Reynolds, D. Sutton, Kubik, Ford, S. Sutton, McDonald, Cairns, Jones, Hill, Raffel.

Substitutes: Simpson, Platt, Wootten (all played).

Goals: D. Sutton (13’), Jones (14’, 29’, 42’, 79’) Platt (35’), Hill (53’), Cairns (60’).