Knaresborough Town Women pass toughest test of the season as Field AFC Ladies are seen off

Mike Bligh’s table-toppers have blown away most of the teams they have come up against this term, but underwent a serious examination of their title credentials at Manse Lane on Sunday.

Having failed to score before the interval for the first time in a West Riding County Women’s Football League Division Four fixture, Boro were pegged back after eventually taking the lead before eventually managing to make it over the line.

Field’s goalkeeper was in inspired form and pulled off a string of excellent saves to prevent Town breaking through during the opening period.

The visitors continued to frustrate their hosts after the break but their resistance was broken in the end by Cass Lane.

Beth Padget marauded forward out of defence with the ball at her feet and threaded a beautiful pass through to Lane, who cut in off the right flank and calmly placed her finish beyond the advancing goalkeeper.

The away team would however draw level late on when a corner was delivered into the penalty area and evaded the home defence, allowing Field’s top scorer this season, Rebecca Teale, to head past Em Crispin.

With time running out, it seemed as if Boro’s 100 percent start to the campaign was finally going to come to an end, though Padget had other ideas, firing home a 90th-minute free-kick from just outside the box.

With a narrow lead to protect, the Town player’s decided that attack was the best form of defence and pressed forwards in search of a third goal, which duly materialised in stoppage-time.

Polly Asquith-Brown’s inviting cross was controlled by Eva Jenkins, who then coolly slotted home from close range to wrap things up at 3-1.

That victory was Boro’s 14th in 14 league matches and keeps them three points clear at the summit heading into this weekend’s trip to Pontefract, 2pm kick-off on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Knaresborough Town’s NCEL Premier Division side went down 3-0 at home to North Ferriby.

Now winless in six attempts, Simon Parkes’ men have slipped down to 12th position in the table.

This Saturday, they travel to 13th-placed Thackley, 3pm kick-off.