Doncaster Belles struck by Lightning in FAWNL Cup

Nicki Russell’s double sent Loughborough, who play one level above Doncaster in the Northern Premier Division, into the next round.

Nadia Khan was on target for Andy Butler’s Belles who will now enter the Plate competition along with the other losing teams from the determining round.

A few more ties are still needed to reduce the number of teams to 32 in both the Cup and Plate competitions while maintaining a reasonable north-south geographical split.

This round could potentially be held this weekend as there are no league games scheduled.

Of the northern teams to lose and enter the Plate, Belles may well be keen to avoid Huddersfield Town, Leeds United, Lincoln City, Middlesbrough, Hull City and Nottingham Forest.

Meanwhile, on the league front, three wins from four games in Division One Midlands means that the Belles can almost certainly forget about any possibility of relegation and instead focus on going for promotion.

They are in a four-horse race with the three teams currently above them in the table - Boldmere St Michaels, Lincoln City and Long Eaton United.

United are the next visitors to Oxford Street on September 29.

Belles, who have taken nine points from their first four games, visit Leafield three days earlier.