Relegation for Doncaster Rovers Belles with plenty of questions about the future

Belles needed to win at Norton & Stockton Ancients and hope that York City lost at home to Blackburn Rovers to avoid dropping down to the fifth tier.

In the end, neither happened: Belles lost 1-0 and York ground out a 0-0 draw.

With both games still 0-0 going into the last 15 minutes there was still hope, but then Norton scored through Louise Atkinson and Belles’ fate was sealed.

Just what the future holds for Belles has yet to be decided. Of several pertinent questions which need answers, perhaps the key one is - Will they be placed the East Midlands or North East Regional League for 2026-27? For that will have a significant bearing on the others, among which are.

Where will home games be played?

Which and how many players will leave?

Will Dylan Wimbury, appointed as manager at the end of January, continue in the role?

While Belles season has ended in bitter disappointment, things are much brighter elsewhere within the City.

Rossington Main are assured of a top half of the table finish in their debut season in the sixth tier. Indeed, they could well finish third in the North East Regional League Southern Division, a position they assumed for the first time at the weekend following a 1-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, Alice Linsell scoring to secure maximum points.

Brodsworth Welfare need just a draw in their final game to finish runners up in Sheffield & Hallam County League Division Two and so start next season in the highest division at tier seven. Brodsworth have proved unstoppable in their ascent from the lower reaches of Division Two they occupied in January to their current occupancy of third place. A draw in their final game against Penistone Church on Tuesday would lift Brodsworth above Staveley Miners Welfare Reserves on goal difference. Brodsworth beat 3-0 Staveley on Sunday to narrow the gap between the pair to just one point.