Women's report | Wolves 4-3 Forest

Wolves Women served up an incredible 4-3 comeback win against Nottingham Forest in the penultimate home game of the season at the New Bucks Head.

Forest, having not lost since November, broke the deadlock early through Louanne Worsey. Sophie Domingo doubled their advantage just before half-time, and the visitors concluded their scoring just before the hour mark through Holly Manders, who converted from close range.

The Old Gold never gave up, and Amber Hughes found the back of the net in the 59th minute to start what would be a sensational comeback. Beth Merrick pulled it back to 3-2 in style with a shot from 25 yards out, before the hosts found the equaliser in the 90th minute through substitute Liv Fergusson. And, in magnificent fashion, Wolves completed the comeback in stoppage time through Merrick, who got her second of the afternoon.

After a quiet opening 10 minutes, Wolves had the first chance of the afternoon through Hughes, who won the ball just outside the box. The forward weaved her way past the Forest defence before getting a shot off, which took a deflection, and Emily Batty saved.

Forest went straight down the other end and found the breakthrough in the 11th minute after Domingo delivered a low cross to the back post for Worsey to tap home.

The visitors were in the ascendency and won a free-kick just past the 20-minute mark. Manders sent a floated ball into the heart of the box, which Charlotte Greengrass latched onto, but her effort sailed over the bar.

Forest were in the thick of the action again soon after when Domingo went one-on-one with Bec Thomas, who rushed out and made herself big to keep out the Forest forward.

Just before the interval, Anna Morphet sent a teasing free-kick into the penalty area. The ball found Jade Cross in the middle, but she couldn’t keep her shot down, and it went out.

Forest doubled their advantage in first half stoppage time when Greengrass played Domingo through on goal. The forward managed to sidestep Thomas and place the ball into the bottom corner.

Half-time | Wolves 0-2 Nottingham Forest

The visitors added a third just before the hour mark as the ball found Domingo out wide, and the forward squared it across to Manders in the middle of the box, who tucked away from close range.

Hughes pulled a goal back for the Old Gold on the hour mark after she won the ball high up the pitch and got in front of a Batty goal kick, before the forward then managed to fire home into an empty net.

Wolves kept pushing for their second goal of the game, and it came Merrick’s way with just under 20 minutes remaining with an audacious attempt from 25 yards out on the left-hand side, which flew over everyone and dropped into the back of the net at the far post.

Merrick ventured forward in the 75th minute and tried her luck again with a shot from just outside the box, but Batty easily claimed the effort.

Forest went close to a fourth with just over 10 minutes remaining. Domingo found space to cut the ball back to Greengrass in the box, but her shot flew over the bar.

The Old Gold kept pushing for the equaliser, and they found it right at the death through substitute Fergusson, who headed home at the back post.

Then, in the third minute of stoppage time, Wolves completed an incredible comeback through Merrick, who also secured her brace in the process. The midfielder picked the ball up out on the left-hand side and drove to the edge of the box before drilling a low ball into the back of the net to spark wild scenes in Telford.

Full-time | Wolves 4-3 Nottingham Forest

NEXT FOUR

24/04/24 – Derby (H)

28/04/24 – Halifax (A)

05/05/24 – Liverpool Feds (A)

14/05/24 – Rugby Borough (N) BCC final

TEAMS

Wolves | Thomas, Wilson, Morphet, George, J. Cross (Fergusson 86), Hughes, Holmes, Johnson, Roberts (Fryer 46), Bramford (Harrison 80), Merrick.

Unused subs | E. Cross, Banaras.

Forest | Batty, Harkin, Johnson, Cook, Domingo, Manders, Worsey, Thomas, Anderson, Greengrass, Cowie.

Subs | Moncaster, Dixon, Green, Aguirre, Haughey.