Women's football: Rossington Main seal rampant win to end successful first season at new level
Rossington Main Ladies concluded their debut season at tier six by recording a 5-2 home victory over York City Development.
It was a result which confirmed them a third-placed finish in the North East Regional League Southern Division. Amy O’Brien opened the scoring in the first few minutes but City, who finished above the notional relegation places, were rewarded for some strong play with the equaliser around the half-hour mark.
The scores were still level at the break, but Rossington forged a two-goal cushion with strikes in quick succession by Lily Robinson, who headed in from a corner, and then O’Brien.
York did not give up and they halved the deficit only to have their hopes of salvaging a point dashed when Lauren Breen netted twice in the closing stages.
Breen’s brace took her tally to 20 (league only) and she is second in the division’s individual scoring stakes. Her goals helped Rossington to 47 points from 18 games, a tally only beaten by the top two of Leeds Modernians and Handsworth (both 69). If Handsworth win their final game by six goals they will be champions.
Their top scorer is Abby Watkinson with 27 goals and like Breen she is a former Doncaster Rovers Belles player. How Belles could have done with a fully fit Jasmine Saxton this season. They scored just 17 from 22 games as they were relegated from the FA Women’s National League Division One North. Saxton scored 14 times in 2024-25.
Shortly after Sunday’s game finished Rossington held their awards evening: Louise Hoyle received the Players’ Player award and Sarah Black both the Supporters’ and Committee awards. Kaitlyn Darley was the Young Player of the season and Chloe Dean the Manager’s Player.
Rossington’s Reserves won six of their last eight games to climb from being threatened with relegation to finish seventh in Sheffield & Hallamshire County League Division Two and they have confirmed that Jack Crookes will continue as manager next season.
Their award recipients were as follows. Top scorer and also Supporters’ Player - Jenna Bramley, Manager’s Player and also Players’ Player - Megan Clement, Committee Player - Kym - Restell.
Meanwhile, it was very much lucky 13 for Brodsworth Welfare who gained maximum points from their last 13 games to finish runners up in Division Two, a position which was confirmed last midweek when they won 8-1 at Penistone Church when their scorers were Liana Stenson 4, Laura Ferguson 3 and Holly Bytheway.