Huddersfield Town Women on verge of league title after four-goal win over rivals Cheadle

The Terriers need just two more points from their final two league games to mathematically ensure the FA WNL Division One North title after pummelling Cheadle Town Stingers

Pressure? What pressure?

Huddersfield Town Women could have been forgiven for coming into this huge, effectively title-deciding game feeling a big nervy. Cheadle Town Stingers went a point ahead at the top of the table in midweek, and a defeat for Town would have taken the title race out of their hands with just two games left to play.

But victory here would leave Town realistically in need of just one more point from their final pair of fixtures to get the job done, thanks to their vastly superior goal difference — and they went about achieving their objective with incredible clarity of purpose.

But what else did we expect? This is a side that took a dubious two-point deduction in its stride, got into the habit of keeping masses of clean sheets, and had already turned aside their other would-be challengers, local rivals Leeds United, back in February.

Town have had to be almost perfect to stay at the top of the table, but they have been. This victory made it ten wins and a draw from their past 11 league games, with nine shutouts along the way.

Town made a superb start and should have been two goals up inside the first two minutes, but Louise Biggins looped her header over the bar from Tamira Livingston’s cross before Laura Elford sliced off target from point-blank range off Hannah Burgess’ ball.

The fact that this was a must-not-lose for the Terriers and a must-win for Cheadle was hammered home just six minutes in as Town keeper Bethan Davies happily stood with her foot on the ball for a full minute, shrugging her shoulders and waiting for anybody in a red and white shirt to come and close her down, before she finally picked it up.

But Town also underlined the fact that they would not just settle for a draw by immediately going up the other end and taking the lead, with Biggins this time succeeding in finding the net with a deft finish from Burgess’ low cross.

Town conducted their business admirably for the rest of the half, with all 11 players doing their job with huge competence and confidence. There was no doubt who was running the show, though: Rhema Lord-Mears looked a major threat every time she had the ball in the number 10 position.

Cheadle’s manager was sent off five minutes before the break after picking up two bookings in quick succession, and he was quickly followed into the dressing room by Ella Harris, who was shown a straight red card for a cynical last-man foul on Biggins as she streamed clean through towards the Cheadle box.

The Lord-Mears show continued after the restart. The midfielder doubled Town’s lead with a brilliant solo effort that saw her carry the ball past the halfway line and to the edge of the box before cutting onto her favoured left foot and smashing home an unstoppable finish.

Cheadle’s frustration continued to get the better of them, with Isobel Dean sent to the sin bin for dissent during a stoppage in play before Yasmin Ahmed was dismissed moments later, seemingly for protesting the decision.

That left Town to play against eight players for ten minutes — nine women thereafter — and Lord-Mears took full advantage of the extra space by curling a brilliant effort into the top corner.

Jess Lightfoot then made it 4-0 four minutes after coming off the bench by keeping her composure inside the box and finding the bottom corner.

Town’s 24-goal advantage on goal difference and holding a game in hand over Cheadle means one more point would all but secure the league title for the Terriers away to York City on Wednesday night, while a victory would mathematically confirm first place.

Even if Town slip up in North Yorkshire in midweek, they will get another shot as they end their league campaign at home to Wythenshawe next Sunday.

If they get the job done, more silverware could follow in the County Cup final against Sheffield FC in Doncaster three days later.

Town: Bethan Davies; Rebecca Beresford, Autumn Housley, Beth Ibbotson; Hannah Burgess (Lucy Allman 85), Beth Stanfield (Kate Mallin 85), Neve Birtwistle, Tamira Livingston; Rhema Lord-Mears (Ella Duffield 80); Louise Biggins (Brierley Keane 85), Laura Elford (Jess Lightfoot 80).

Unused subs: Kacey Bolton-Woollam, Felicity Jones.