LATE BIRMINGHAM WINNER DEFEATS NOTTS COUNTY

NOTTS COUNTY LADIES FC 0 V BIRMINGHAM CITY LADIES FC 1
WOMENS SUPER LEAGUE @ MEADOW LANE
27 SEPTEMBER 2015 5PM

As this game looked to be petering out to a goal less draw up popped Kerys Harrop to nod home the winner with just two minutes of the ninety remaining to thwart Notts chances of a final home game victory.
With a chance of taking in another WSL game and following an enjoyable afternoon out at Meadow Lane earlier in the season when The Pies took on Liverpool now was a good time to catch up with them again but this time it would be the last game of their season, before an away fixture at Manchester City next week.
The blog would have covered Nottingham Rugby Union also today before coming along to this game but the rugby union club moved their 3pm kick off was moved to 3.30pm meaning a finish at Lady Bay just as this WSL game would kick off!

I THOUGH IT WAS 1/2 A MILE TO MEADOW LANE



A comfortable journey from base and with Notts ground being within ten minutes of the station the blog was soon at todays venue.  However confusing it may seem the sign saying ten miles close to the ground was not for me but the mornings Nottingham Marathon.
The club shop has to be one of the best in the Football League its is packed full of merchandise and well worth a visit if you are in the area with all sorts of gifts on offer.

NOTTS COUNTY CLUB SHOP A QUALITY DISPLAY OF GIFTS

Upon departing with the programme the turnstiles were just about to open it being one hour to kick off.  Following a little look at the ground which always amazes me as a superb looking ground and one that I have seen develop since its old days of the spion kop with old style lettered scoreboards from a-z, remember those days before electronic ones.
It was time to sample todays food fayre and the joy of a chicken balti pie at the home off the Pies and pleased to say with a coffee this came in at £4.60, take a look Derbyshire Cricket Club after your price of £5 for a bacon cob and coffee last week.
The crowd at WSL is a relaxed family affair with lost of people attired in their clubs colours and a fair following from todays visitors too.  The crowd was building up nicely and the atmosphere generating drum was now in situ all adding nicely to the official attendance of 1,337. 

NOTTS COUNTY WARMING UP ON A SUNNY MEADOW LANE AFERNOON

Notts do a good job of profiling their ladies team firstly by using their main ground and not an outpost stadia, plus the match day experience is very similar to the Football League side with a great PA system also playing some good current music.

ELLEN WHITE & ALEX GREENWOOD

It was good to see Ellen White playing whom we met a few years back at an England international at Burton against Japan she is such a hard working player who covers most of the pitch in her running game.  Jess Clarke was also in the starting line up on the right wing and with Laura Bassett at the back along with keeper Carly Telford their are plenty of names in the home line up.  Birmingham captain Karen Carney was also on show for todays visitors.
The first half was an enterprising affair with the woodwork denying both sides twice stopping Notts from scoring and once stopping Birmingham getting off the mark.  For The Pies it was Alex Greenwood who crashed one off the underside of the bar before Jess Clarke fired one in from 20 yards only for the bar to deny the home side again.  Just before half time Birmingham also hit the bar when from a 20 yard free kick Carney shook the whole goal with a vicious effort.

PIES RACHEL WILLIAMS HOLDS OFF CITY'S REMI ALLEN

Half time was arrived at without a score and really we had witnessed a steady game just lacking a goal.  The second half though fell away with a nil nil result looking a cert until 88 minutes.  A right wing corner to the near post from Jo Potter was met by the rising Harrop who headed into the back of the home net to send the travelling City support into scenes of joy and deny Notts County the chance to send their fans home happy with a victory at the last home game of the 2015 season.
Return journey was a bust student packed train but base station was arrived at on time and the blog had enjoyed another afternoon watching Notts County Ladies FC.

REFEREE IAN DUDLEY CONSULTS HIS ASSISTANT