Nantwich Town Women beat local rivals AFC Crewe 3-2 in an intense away fixture at Alsager Football Club’s Wood Park Stadium.
The Cheshire Women’s & Youth Football League Premier Division clash saw the Dabbers dominate the first half before sealing the three points.
The Dabbers raced into a 3-0 lead by half-time.
Megan Ragdale found the net twice, while Grace Duckworth added another to put Nantwich firmly in the driver’s seat.
AFC Crewe showed resilience in the second half, pulling two goals back, but Nantwich held on for the win.
The victory propels Nantwich Town into second place in the league table, with 24 points from eight wins and one loss.
The result also ended AFC Crewe’s unbeaten run this season.
Dan Mellor, Manager of Nantwich Town FC Women, said: “I’m really proud of the players.
“AFC Crewe were unbeaten until they faced us and I firmly believe this league will be won by either us or them so to get the three points puts us in a strong position.
“We had to dig really deep in that second half and play a different type of game than we’re used to.
“Crewe were physical and it was very stop start which disrupted our rhythm and they made it hard for us to play our game.
“We’d done the damage in the first half, three great strikes, all well worked goals and I thought we deserved that at half time.
“We were coming on top in our duels and picking up the second balls and restricted them to nothing basically.
“I must say throughout I thought our work rate off the ball from our strikers right through to our midfield and back line was phenomenal and that’s testament to the players desires to win this league.
“We’ve got to back this performance up now next week against Chester at home.
“We’ve recorded eight straight victories in the league since we were defeated by them on the opening day of the season so it will be a good opportunity to right some wrongs and go into the final 3rd of the season on top spot.”
Goalkeeper Kara Townsend reached a significant milestone, making her 100th appearance for the Dabbers.
Mellor added: “Kara deserves to be the first female player to reach 100 games for this club.
“She’s been instrumental in every season she’s played and once again proved her quality in this crucial win.
“Reaching 100 appearances is a massive feat, especially given our 25-game seasons.
“She’s not just a great player but also an inspiring role model for younger keepers at the club.”
Fans can keep up with upcoming fixtures on the official Nantwich Town FC website.
For the latest team news and highlights, follow the Dabbers Women on NTFC Ladies Facebook.
(Story by Jonathan White, images by Peter Robinson)
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