HUDDERSFIELD TOWN LADIES LIFT THE CHALLENGE CUP AT THE FOURTH ATTEMPT

HUDDERSFIELD Town Ladies lifted the Sheffield and Hallamshire Challenge Cup at the fourth attempt after a thrilling 2-1 triumph over Barnsley Ladies encounter at SGP Graves.

The victory was sweet revenge for Town who had been beaten by the same opponents last season.

But this was far from an easy victory.

Goals from Emily Heckler and Hannah Spreckley secured the triumph, with Spreckley grabbing the winner just three minutes from time to send the celebrations into overdrive.

Town started the brighter and went ahead in the seventh minute when Katie Nutter played through Emily Heckler who outpaced the defender and finished in the bottom corner.

Town had plenty of chances to increase the lead through the first half but were unable to convert their chances.

Barnsley, meanwhile, were using counter-attack tactics to try and catch Town out at the back, and in the 43rd minute, Huddersfield lost the ball on the halfway line and their opponents punished them with a good break and finish from their striker Amy Woodruff.

Town came out better organised in the second half and played much better, with the West Yorkshire side having a good opportunity on the 55th minute when Mallin played in Heckler but she shot wide, and just a minute later Mallin half volleyed just over the Barnsley crossbar.

The winner then came three minutes from time, with Town creating their best move of the match.

Danni Biglin crossed the ball into the area and second-half substitute Spreckley rose to bullet a header past the Barnsley keeper.

This victory came in the wake of a 2-0 League defeat at Stoke City Ladies, with Town disappointed in what they thought was a poor refereeing performance.

The visitors had a penalty shout waved away in the seventh minute, and that set the trend for a scrappy affair.

Heckler had a free-kick palmed round the post by the Stoke keeper, and Katie Nutter had two or three opportunities but could not convert.

Both Charley Evans and Mallin had chances which were well saved.

Stoke had the better start to the second half and hit Town’s post three minutes in.

A straight-legged challenge into the abdomen of defender Millie Turner, could have easily seen a red card, however the referee deemed it only to be a yellow card offence.

With 25 minutes remaining Stoke were awarded a penalty when Amy Battel tackled a City attacker in the box and the effort was converted.

As Town pushed for the equaliser, Mallin, Heckler and Sarah Dobby, all went close.

However due the overload of attacking play from Town, Stoke broke and were able to score the decisive winner in ninth minute of added on time.

Town Ladies Under 18s guaranteed themselves a second-place finish in the Sheffield and Hallam league with a comprehensive 12-1 win against a stubborn Dearne and District team.

Meanwhile Rotherham were beating third placed Sheffield United to clinch the league title.

Town took the lead after eight minutes when Jodie Lodge finished well from just inside the area. with their second coming 10 minutes before the break through Isobel Boothroyd, scoring her first goal since October and only her fourth for the girls.

And on the stroke of half-time Ellie Womersley’s cross was turned in by Amy Broomhead to make it 3-0 at the break.

Then in the second period Rose Priestley scored the fourth and fifth goals to propel her ahead of Lauren Bullock and Claudia Smith-Calvert up to sixth on the list of all -time goal scorers for the girls.

Dearne then pulled a goal back, but after that it was all one-way traffic, with further strikes from Womersley, Nicky Whitehead, skipper Laura Walker, Whitehead (2) and Broomhead (3).

The Under 15s had no game this week, but on Saturday they are at home to Doncaster Belles in the title decider (10.30am).

The Under 13s went down to only their third defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss at the hands of an excellent AFC Pogmoor side.

After an early lead for the away side, it was Isobella Kington who tapped home an equaliser just before half-time.

Town fell victim to another display of poor defending two minutes into the first half to give Pogmoor the lead and the eventual winner.

They will have to improve for the League Cup final at the end of April when AFC Pogmoor will be their opponents.

On Saturday they are at home to Sheffield United (10.30am). TOTTENHAM manager Mauricio Pochettino claims he could never join Barcelona due to his past at Espanyol, just as it would be impossible for him ever to manage Arsenal.

Pochettino met Barcelona’s president Josep Bartomeu last week at a bar in the Spanish city but the Argentinian insists it was a chance encounter and the pair have been friends for 15 years.

The get-together sparked renewed speculation, however, about Pochettino taking over at the Nou Camp, where current boss Luis Enrique has announced his decision to leave in the summer.

Pochettino appeared keen to avoid ruling himself out when asked about a potential switch earlier this month, even dismissing suggestions his links to Espanyol would scupper a move.

When asked on Thursday to clarify his meeting with Bartomeu, however, Pochettino brought previous club loyalties to the fore.

“It was a coincidence in a bar in Barcelona last Tuesday,” Pochettino said.

“You know the rumours after it’s impossible to stop but I am an Espanyol supporter and I don’t speak too much.” EVERTON say defender Ramiro Funes Mori is likely to miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn meniscus playing for Argentina against Bolivia earlier this week.

The Toffees, who face Liverpool in the 228th Merseyside derby tomorrow, have already lost right-back Seamus Coleman for several months after an horrific double fracture of his leg playing for the Republic of Ireland against Wales. Coleman’s clubmate James McCarthy also aggravated a hamstring injury in the warm-up to that game.

“It has been confirmed that the defender suffered a torn meniscus in Argentina’s 2-0 defeat to Bolivia on Tuesday evening,” said a statement from Everton.

“He will have a surgical opinion next week but the initial diagnosis suggests the 26-year-old is likely to be out of action for the rest of the campaign.”