Last gasp goal sees Lightning earn first point of new era...
FAWNL NORTHERN PREMIER. LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING 2 HULL CITY 2
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning struck with the last kick of the game, as they shared the points with opponents Hull City Ladies, on the opening day of the FAWNL Northern Premier.
A last-minute, equalising goal from substitute Ella Powell was enough to ensure that both sides got off the mark in the league.
Despite being dominant for large parts of the first half, in their first game after their name change from Loughborough Foxes, Lightning found themselves behind on 38 minutes. Hull’s Rachael Ackroyd laid the ball off to Liberty Bott, whose brilliant first-time strike from 30-yards found the top corner of the Lightning net.
It was more of the same after the break, as Lightning continued to dominate. They didn’t get the breakthrough they deserved, though, until the 71st minute, through captain Chloe Young. She capped her excellent performance with a fine free-kick from 25-yards, which she bent into the top corner.
Hull though were back ahead with just over five minutes left. Emily Smith, whose pace on the counter had caused the Lightning defence problems, saw her shot find the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Lightning left it very late but managed to get the equaliser they fully deserved. Deep into added time, centre-back Harriet Petley delivered the ball into the box which Abbey Hateley flicked on and there was Ella Powell to divert the ball into the net.