Crucial month ahead for relegation-threatened Doncaster Rovers Belles

Belles' Arianne Parnham (right) on the attack vs Huddersfield in 2024 County Cup final. Featured in some of Belles most promising attacks last Sunday

placeholder image — Belles' Arianne Parnham (right) on the attack vs Huddersfield in 2024 County Cup final. Featured in some of Belles most promising attacks last Sunday

Doncaster Rovers Belles remain second bottom in the FA Women’s National League Division One North following a 1-0 home defeat to Huddersfield Town and the next month will prove crucial in their bid to avoid the drop to Regional League football.

Louisa Biggins scored the game’s only goal as the play approached the 15-minute mark and it was enough to restore Town to top spot in the division.

Town keeper Beth Davies, a former Belles player, did her bit to ensure a clean sheet for the visitors who had Autumn Housley dismissed for a red card offence shortly after the interval. Town have one of the best defences in the division and while Belles did their best for an equaliser, it was a third successive game without scoring for Belles who have scored the fewest goals in the division this season.

Elsewhere in the Division, Durham Cestria were 2-1 home winners over Stockport County to put them 10 points clear of Belles and effectively all but mathematically assured of safety

Arianne Parnham (yellow) in action for Belles vs York City (January 2025)

As the table stands, it is very much two of the current bottom three to be relegated with fourth bottom Chester-Le-Street Town the team to be most nervous about what is happening below them.

Chester-Le-Street have 12 points from as many games, but their goal difference of minus 4 is worth a point as the bottom trio all have a goal difference of minus 21 or worse.

York have 7 points from 10 games, Belles 6 from 11 and Blackburn just 1 point from 12 games.

Belles are due to resume their fixtures next month with away games against York and Blackburn, both whom have away games this coming Sunday. York visit Chester-Le-Street and Blackburn visit Stockport.

Happier times for Belles, Women's Super League 2 champions in 2018, including Bethan Davies (green shirt, rear fourth from left)

Belles can not afford to lose to either York or Blackburn, while it is very likely that both games will be must win (for Belles).

Given the late switch of venue to Bottesford (where Belles had been beaten 3-0 by an RAF team last Wednesday), a crowd of 189 was very respectable. Belles were due to host Cheadle Town Stingers this Sunday, but that game has been postponed as Cheadle have a delayed cup tie which takes priority.

Meanwhile, Belles Under-21s booked their place in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA Women’s Senior Cup quarter-finals thanks to a 1-0 win at Rossington Main. Poppy Hawkins scored the decisive goal shortly before the final whistle to avoid the need for a penalty shoot out.

Also winning their ties were Dronfield Town, Handsworth and Rotherham United to form a quarter final line up which includes the previously exempt tier four teams in Belles (first team), Barnsley Women, Huddersfield and Sheffield FC.

Rossington resume their North East Women’s Regional League Southern Division fixtures with a home game against Ilkley Town.

This Sunday’s Sheffield & Hallam fixtures include Oughtibridge War Memorial vs Rossington Main Reserves (Cup), Penistone Church v Brodsworth (Division Two) and Maltby Juniors vs Scawthorpe Scorpions (Shield).

Sunday, January 18 results were Brodsworth 0, Barnsley FC Ladies 8 and Rossington Main Reserves 0, Millmoor Juniors Reserves 2