Ten-player Huddersfield Town Women go back top with win at Doncaster Belles amid points deduction appeal
Town return to the top of FAWNL Division One North after Louise Biggins’ seventh league goal of the season.
Glen Preston lauded new Huddersfield Town signings Neve Birtwistle and Tamira Livingston as well as being delighted to see his squad near full strength after an injury-hit campaign so far.
Both new signings shone, as did the returning Beth Ibbotson in defence as Town overcame Autumn Housley’s red card to win 1-0 away at Doncaster Rovers Belles that returns the Terriers to the top of FA WNL Division One North.
Town started 2026 in quick fashion and took the lead on 13 minutes after Ella Duffield’s brilliant reverse pass found Biggins who carried on her great form into the new year with a rasping strike past Sharpe in the Belles goal.
Preston’s side looked comfortable throughout the first half and will have been disappointed not to have been clear after Biggins, Lucy Allman and Fliss Jones all missed chances to put the game to bed.
The second half saw the game turn - Jasmine Saxton looked to spin away from Housley who seemed to pull the striker back, the referee played advantage before Saxton was denied by Davies.
However, despite Saxton getting clear through and a shot away, the referee pulled the game back, giving Housley a straight red card.
The red card saw the introduction of Livingston who looked lively throughout and could have marked her debut with a goal but after taking the ball round the keeper, the angle beat her.
The hosts pushed for a leveller but Ibbotson and co in defence limited them to pot-shots and when they did get in, Stanfield was on hand to produce a magnificent last-ditch tackle to defend the points.
After the game, Preston was quick to praise his new signings.
He told We Are Terriers: “Even with 10 players I thought we kept the ball very well. Tamira came on for her debut and was wreaking havoc down the left and could have scored.
“We needed a left-sided player and we’ve been trying to sign Tamira for about two years. She can play anywhere on the left. We were forced to put her in at left back because of the red card but you can see how dangerous she’ll be for us.
“She offers real balance for us, especially given Becs [Beresford] prefers to be on the right.
“And Neve was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. She was colossal. She’s exactly the profile we’ve been missing. I told her when we signed her that we needed a bit more muscle which she brings but she’s also a fantastic player. She’s brilliant on the ball.”
Another pleasing aspect for Preston was the return of Beth Ibbotson and the ability to pick an almost full strength squad.
He added: “I think it’s the first game all season where we’ve had a full bench. We finally have options to change things up.
“We’ve brought Rhema and Hannah off the bench. Two players who have been brilliant for us in the first half of the season.
“It’s great to feel we’ve got real strength in the whole squad now.”
Town did go into the Christmas break top of the table but were hit with a two point deduction for fielding an ineligible player - something Preston confirms the club are appealing.
He said: “We’ve got a case because there’s no governance for the issue at hand. It’s a strange one because we’ve signed our own player.
“It’s an issue that seems to have happened with players at other clubs too who haven’t been penalised. It got raised when we put the player on a contract and a system flagged an issue.
“So it feels a little harsh because the FA didn’t give us a penalty but the league has.”