FC Farsley hosted Altofts Ladies at Leeds Beckett University with the memories of last weekend’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup disappointment fresh in the memory.

There were a few enforced changes to the team following captain Chloe Rimmer’s injury and a few late drop outs with illness but a strong team was selected by Izzy Roads and his coaching team with the aim to take the game to an Altofts side who had been victorious in the preseason friendly between the two sides in the Summer.

It was Altofts however who struck first with a long ball forward, a regular feature of their game plan, evading the Farsley defence before being tucked first time into the back of the net.

Any worries that it would be of the same from Farsley this week were soon put to bed as composure was regained and the team started implementing the game plan with some impressive performances coming from Imogen Nichols in defensive midfield and the pace of Daisy O’Brien, Georgina Kaye, and Emily Kilroy regularly caused issues at the back for Altofts.

It was that reliable old head of Shirley Murphy who grabbed the Farsley equaliser though. Picking the ball up on the break, she dribbled beyond the defence, cut inside past a player, and curled an effort into the bottom corner in trademark style just before the break.

The second half was a well balanced affair with both sides creating chances. Leigh Bamford in the Farsley goal earned her Player of the Match award after a number of outstanding saves, while at the other end both Murphy and Mystee Kearns rattled the crossbar with good chances, but it was to remain all square until the end – a fair result on reflection and plenty to be pleased with in just our second match back at this level.