Willenhall Town 1        Florence 1

Willenhall surrendered their 100% league record in this hard-fought draw against a very physical Florence side.

Willenhall recalled Sherrylee Boon to the starting line-up replacing Tina Hand, who was on holiday, after a three game absence, but she only lasted 16 minutes due to a stomach injury & was replaced by Rachel Kinsis.

After a scrappy start Florence mounted the first serious attack on 17 minutes when they broke forward and forced Toni Parkes in the Willenhall goal to pull off a tremendous save.

Willenhall came straight back at the visitors and had a chance to score, when a through ball found Abi Riley, but the Reds leading scorer fired tamely at the keeper.

The versatile Lindsay Clews made a mazy run on 33 minutes, before laying the ball off to Abi Riley, Abi in turn set up Rachel Kinsis who se shot was charged down.

Florence broke down the other end of the field & Toni Parkes who was performing heroics in the home goal pulled off another superb save.

Just before half-time Willenhall's Tracey Culloty who was starting her first start of the season, tried a spectacular effort, unfortunately thought the keeper was equal to it.

In added time Abi Riley was being tightly marked  won the ball back & fired just over the bar & from the resulting goal-kick Florence broke away again, however, Toni Parkes blocked well with her feet.

Willenhall had to replace Toni Parkes at half-time with Liz Plant taking over between the sticks, just as the unwell Toni Parkes was having a storming game.

Florence took the lead on 53 minutes from a corner , when the ball was headed home from close range. This seemed to spark the game into life and Willenhall hit straight back, Rachel Kinsis shot was handled in the box by a Florence defender and the referee awarded a definite penalty, much to the annoyance of the whinging visitors. Captain Lauren Jones stepped up to take the penalty and hammered the ball passed the keeper to give the reds a well deserved equaliser.

Florence then started to impose their bullying tactics and they were lucky to have all 11 players left on the pitch as they tried their hardest to injure our players.

Lizzie Plant pulled off a tremendous save on 63 minutes after a brake on the right  & Abi Riley set up Willenhall's Lauren Jones, whose teasing lob was tipped over by the visiting keeper.

The game faded towards the end as a lengthy stoppage saw a Florence player eventually carried off.

Team

Toni Parkes, Di Baker, Helen Crozier, Becky Yeates, Lindsay Clews, Stacey Parkes, Lauren Jones (c), Jo Byrne, Tracey Culloty, Abi Riley, Sherrylee Boon,

Subs: Rachel Kinsis, Lizzie Plant, Emma Wilkes.

Subs Used Kinsis- Boon 16 min  Plant -Parkes h/t

Star Red 'H' Helen Crozier