By Match report: Town Women see off St Joseph’s in final home game
Grimsby Town Women secured a narrow late victory against St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop in their final home game of the season on Sunday afternoon.
Captain Danielle Brighton’s long-range strike was enough to earn the hosts a 1-0 win at Oasis Wintringham.
The Mariners started the game strongly, with Beth Wharton the first to go close on two minutes as she let fly with a low shot from outside the box that was pushed behind for a corner by keeper Walker.
Brighton fired over the bar after a neat attacking move on 13 minutes, as Grimsby’s purposeful opening to the contest continued.
Walker then made the first of a number of great saves when she dived to her left to keep out a shot from Wharton.
The visitors created their first chance of the game on 19 minutes, as Beth Gingell set off on a run down the left and cut inside before squaring for Ayesha Stead, but she was unable to find the finishing touch.
The Nottinghamshire side then had another opportunity when Aimee Roper found Gingell, with Chloe Gray making a decent save to turn the ball around the post for a corner.
The Mariners went even close to finding the opener through Alisha Dejonge, who headed the ball onto the post from a corner.
She had another chance to put her side in the lead just past the break when her header was tipped behind by Walker.
At the other end, the away side were then inches away from taking the lead after Gingell controlled the ball, turned and volleyed across goal, but Stead was unlucky as her attempt to finish from close range came back off the post.
Town then had a strong spell where they were pushing to break the deadlock. They were denied again by the keeper when she raced off her line to block a shot from Dejonge before she pulled off an outstanding double save seconds later to keep the scoreline goalless.
An excellent move by the hosts then saw Dejonge, Wharton and Pedersen link up down the left and, when the cross came in from Pedersen, the ball was headed against the bar by a defender and it bounced behind for a corner.
The Mariners finally made the breakthrough with just five minutes left on the clock through Brighton. She picked up the ball about 25 yards out and found the back of the net in style to leave Walker with no chance of keeping it out.
They then saw out the final few minutes of the game well to back up why they have been crowned league champions.
