Hayley Sharp v Forest last season

A 93rd minute Millie Bright equaliser helped Leeds escape with a point in an entertaining clash with Nottingham Forest at Throstle Nest on Sunday.

The game started out in frantic fashion as Leeds fashioned perhaps their best chance of the game almost straight from the kickoff as Tanya Rich capitalised on some sloppy Forest defending to cross for the incoming Leah Galton who at full stretch was unlucky not to see her left foot poke find the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Despite dominating most of the first half possession Leeds were unable to find a way past a dogged and well organised Forest defence. In fact it was Forest’s incisive counter attacking play that looked the most likely way to find an opening goal. In particular forward Andrea Bell had two glorious opportunities to open the scoring as she twice found herself clean through on goal only to be denied by some wonderful goalkeeping from home stopper Jules Draycott.

Following the half time break Leeds came out with renewed enthusiasm but despite their continuous pressure were unable to find a breakthrough. In fact it was the visitors who took an unlikely lead when in the 61st minute forward Aileen Whelan timed a late run into the box to perfection to dispatch a clinical volley into the opposite corner from a Natasha Meade free kick.

As Leeds threw extra players forward in search of an equaliser Forest almost wrapped up all three points in the 81st minute as Whelan somehow found some space on the edge of the box and was unlucky to see her well struck left foot shot crash agonizingly back off the bar.

Despite the obvious frustration from a difficult afternoon, Leeds desire never wavered and in the 93rd minute substitute Millie Bright finally found a way past a tired Forest back four to earn the home side a share of the spoils. The goal was clinically taken as the forward collected a well worked Leah Galton cross with her back to goal before swivelling to fire a clinical drive into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Speaking after the game Leeds manager Chris Welburn was relieved to have taken something from the game. “Fair play to Forest for today’s performance,” he said. “They defended really well and some of their counter attacks were impressive, particularly in the first half. In the second half we were better and brighter and ultimately deserved our goal. We definitely need to be a bit more organised at the back, particularly on set pieces, but we kept battling right to the final minute and I think definitely deserved something from the game.”