By Jonathan White, photos by Peter Robinson
Nantwich Town FC Women secure 4-1 victory in friendly against AFC Telford United Women
Nantwich Town FC Women triumphed 4-1 over AFC Telford United Women in a friendly match at the Swansway Stadium on Sunday 16th March 2025.
The fixture was arranged after the Dabbers’ scheduled Cheshire Women’s & Youth Football League Premier Division match against Wirral United FC Women was postponed due to their opponents being unable to fulfil the fixture.
The first half was a competitive affair, with both teams creating multiple opportunities. Nantwich’s Hatton had the earliest chances, testing the Telford goalkeeper in the 7th and 15th minutes. The visitors also came close in the 20th minute when Beady narrowly missed the far post. The Dabbers continued to press, with Ragdale and Hatton firing just over the bar in the latter stages of the half. Despite the chances, the teams went into halftime level at 0-0.
The second half saw Nantwich take control of the game. Just three minutes after the restart, Buckley-Ratcliff fired home from inside the box to give the Dabbers a 1-0 lead. She doubled her tally in the 53rd minute with a stunning long-range strike before completing her hat-trick in the 64th minute – this time scoring directly from a corner. The Dabbers extended their advantage in the 71st minute when Fallon capitalised on a defensive mix-up to make it 4-0. Telford pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute through a well-taken free-kick from Dunn, but it was merely a consolation as Nantwich controlled the remainder of the match.
Goalkeeper Ciesielska made a crucial save in the 57th minute to keep the Dabbers in command, and Harding came close to adding a fifth late on, firing just over the bar from distance. The match concluded with a well-earned 4-1 victory for Nantwich Town FC Women.
Dabbers goal scorers: Jade Buckley-Ratcliff (hat-trick) – sponsored by Wrightsure Insurance, and Amanda Fallon – sponsored by NTISA.
Dabbers starting XI:
- N. Harding
- N. Walker
- B. Harding
- R. Davies (captain)
- F. Chaffey-Green
- P. Smith
- L. Bulkeley
- M. Ragdale
- A. Fallon
- L. Lander
- A. Hatton
Subs: 12. J. Buckley-Ratcliff, 14. M. O’Connor, 15. T. Sorokan, 16. H. Knight, 17. B. Davies, 18. E. Macdonald, 19. D. Reeder, GK. A. Ciesielska.
Following the match, manager Dan Mellor expressed his satisfaction with the performance:
“It’s been a hugely frustrating period for us with games being forfeited, so it was important to get a match in. Telford, being in a similar position in the league above, provided a great test. The most important thing today was getting minutes in the legs and avoiding injuries, with performance coming second. However, we fully deserved the 4-1 win.
“We dominated the first half but were just lacking that finishing touch. After the break, we took our chances well and scored some high-quality goals. There were plenty of positives to take into next week’s cup quarter-final against Crewe FC.”
For information on upcoming fixtures, visit the official Nantwich Town FC website: www.nantwichtownfc.co.uk/all-women-fixtures.
For the latest news, match highlights, and team updates, follow Nantwich Town FC Women on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NTFCLadies