Following a great weekend that saw Barnsley Ladies not play a game but still progress through to the League Cup final due to Malet Lambert YC FC unable to field a team, plus Castleford White Rose Ladies beating Norton and Stockton Ancients 3-0. Barnsley Ladies warmed up knowing a win would secure the League title, so it was no surprise that at the clubs presentation the previous evening not a First team player was to be found after 10 pm, early nights and clear heads were required.
Everyone deals with pressure differently, but there was positive team spirit in evidence during the warm up , some quiet, some banter, what was clear were the added ranks of friends and family gathered in anticipation around the village ground in Oughtibridge with even le Tour de Yorkshire racing towards the climax of the NERWFL 2016 /17 season.
Oughtibridge War Memorial Ladies FC in Gold and Black kicked off, but it was Barnsley Ladies FC in Red and White who were first to mount an attack with Drew Greene driving down the right wing to win a corner in the 2nd minute.
4th minute Holly Findlay drove to the goal line before pulling it back to Danielle Lowe who played it to Brittany Sanderson in the pocket to shoot straight at the goal keeper, who fumbled but secured at second attempt.
In the 5th minute play was stopped due to a cat thinking that the Barnsley penalty area was a lovely place for a sunbathe, at least it wasn’t a black cat.
12 mins gone Danielle Lowe played a perfect weighted ball over the top of the defence for Holly Findlay to race onto but the goal keeper was alert and secured it bravely at her feet.
Then Danielle Lowe took a free kick from midway in the opposition half, Amy Woodruff rose and headed cleanly but straight at the goal keeper who managed to tip it over the crossbar.
16 minutes gone and Drew Greene drove strongly down the right wing, cutting in, she shot strongly with the ball rebounding off the crossbar, Danielle Lowe was first to react but her shot went over the cross bar as the goal keeper stood tall.
From the back Lucy Turner played a long cross field path to Amy Woodruff, who brought it under control with a lovely touch before driving at the left hand side of the Oughtibridge defence, her cross to the back post was met by the head of Holly Findlay but the goal keeper made an instinctive save, then as the ball fell to Brittany Sanderson to shoot she saved again.
20 mins gone Rebecca Wilson won the ball in midfield and played out to Darcie Greene on the left, her pass found Amy Woodruff who crossed into Brittany Sanderson to shoot but once again the keeper saved. It was all Barnsley attack and Oughtibridge defence, how long could they hold out or was it going to be one of those games?
Abby Parkin broke down the right wing on 25 mins, she found Laura Shepherd central and then out to Drew Greene as Barnsley cut through, a central cross into Brittany Sanderson saw her twist, trick and turn her marker to create half a yard to shoot just over the cross bar.
28 mins a long cross field ball from Danielle Lowe into the right hand corner was chased down and kept in play by Drew Greene, she picked a pass into Holly Findlay to stab a shot goal wards in to the hands of the goalkeeper.
Then a controlled attack down the left involving Danielle Lowe, Darcie Greene and Amy Woodruff found progress blocked by Oughtibridge defenders, so they played it backward and switched play to the right where Abby Parkin and Drew Greene linked up to cross into the penalty area this was met by Amy Woodruff to shoot first time, thwarted by a despairing block dive by a defender.
Kathryn Smith came on for Amy Woodruff down the left wing after 30 mins.
33rd minute Drew Greene once again took on and beat her defende, she played a square ball into the path of Brittany Sanderson to shoot over the crossbar.
34th minute Abby Parkin’s long cross was met by the head of Holly Findlay to flick just wide.
35 mins and from a Barnsley free kick Rebecca Wilson found Brittany Sanderson on the edge of the Oughtibridge penalty area, she played square to Drew Greene to shoot but again brave defending blocked the shot out.
Then finally after 38 mins the deadlock was broken with Danielle Lowe playing the ball from midfield into the feet of Brittany Sanderson. Back to goal she turned her defender and dribbled left foot right foot into the area before shooting left footed low across the goal keeper and inside the right hand upright. 0-1 Barnsley Ladies and the relief was evident in the celebration.
Rebecca Fevers replaced Holly Findlay with Brittany Sanderson moving to left wing, Kathryn Smith central up front and Rebecca dropping into centre mid alongside Danielle Lowe and Laura Shepherd.
From an Abby Parkin throw after 41 mins, Kathryn Smith drove down the right, then played it centrally to Britany Sanderson who passed out to Abby looping down the right. She crossed into Kathryn Smith to shoot wide of the left hand post.
The final play of the half saw Abby Parkin find Rebecca Fevers on the edge of the penalty area, she made a lovely turn to create space for a shot which fizzed just wide of the right hand upright.
It had been all Barnsley in the first half with very little for Laura Wilson returning in the Barnsley goal to do. Oughtibridge had managed a couple of attacks but with a loan striker and defending deep these had been easily dealt with by the centre back pairing of Lucy Turner and Rebecca Wilson.

The second half got underway and in the 47th minute Kathryn Smith down the right danced through the defence to shoot from a tight angle which the goal keeper pushed away.
Then in the 50th minute Rebecca Fevers and Kathryn Smith combined to switch the ball out to Drew Greene on the right wing, she played the ball back to Abby Parkin to cross into Kathryn Smith who managed to win a throw off her defender.
Oughtibridge were now basically playing with a 9 player defence, so Barnsley needed to work the ball and create gaps if they were going to score again.
54th minute from a Laura Wilson goal kick to Rebecca Wilson she played in Darcie Greene to build an attack down the left wing where she found Kathryn Smith who played it to Brittany Sanderson in the left channel, but there was no way forward, so she played it out to Laura Shepherd to shoot over the cross bar.
From an Abby Parkin throw on halfway after 57 minutes into Kathryn Smith, she turned and drove strongly to the goal line to win a corner which was taken short and crossed in by Abby Parkin into the goal area, Kathryn controlled and shot goal ward, the keeper got her hand to it but was unable to stop it, 0-2 Barnsley.
Holly Findlay returned replacing Drew Greene on the right wing after 59 minutes and almost straight away she drove forward and crossed into Kathryn Smith to this time shoot over the cross bar.
Rebecca Wilson played into Kathryn Smith who was coming deep to pick up and orchestrate attacks, she played a one-two with Laura Shepherd to shoot low left, but the goal keeper managed to push if around her left hand post for a corner. From which the ball came out to Darcie Greene to try a long shot which went just wide of the right hand post.
63rd minute and Danielle Lowe played a perfect cross field ball over the top of the defence and into the path of Holly Findlay, but the goal keeper was quickly off her line to save at the right hand corner of her penalty area as Holly tried to shoot over her.
Then in the 64th minute Darcie Greene picked out Brittany Sanderson making a left channel run, she dribbled goal wards before playing it back out to Danielle Lowe she squared it into the path of Rebecca Fevers to shoot strongly into the back of the net 0-3 Barnsley.
The pace of the game which had been high tempo now slowed as Oughtibridge tired and Barnsley started to relax, but there were still no gaps as the defence and the goalkeeper still worked hard to prevent further goals.
70th minute and the goalkeeper saved from Brittany Sanderson who have been set up by the looping run of Darcie Greene down the left wing.
72nd minute Amy Woodruff returned to the action for Laura Shepherd. Then from an Abby Parkin corner Holly Findlay at the back post headed just wide.
More Barnsley changes in the 75th minute as Georgina Wilson came on for Brittany Sanderson, with Darcie Greene moving to left wing and Rebecca Wilson to left back so that Georgina could slot into centre back alongside Lucy Turner. Then again in the 79th minute with Melissa Cole replacing Rebecca Wilson.
80 minutes gone Kathryn Smith drove into the Oughtibridge penalty area to win a corner, from which Abby Parkin crossed the ball and the Goalkeeper plucked the ball off the head of Amy Woodruff.
Oughtibridge were restricting Barnsley to playing in front of their defensive line but in the 88th minute Kathryn Smith managed a long range shot that had the goal keeper scrambling across her goal to push it away around her right hand post.
Then in the 90th minute a very rare break out by Oughtibridge with a clearance chased down by the loan centre forward, but Laura Wilson was alert to it , quickly out of her area to clear unfortunately rebounding it off the centre forward and as Laura tried to get back to cover her goal it was a diving Lucy Turner who managed to block the shot away. Clean sheet saved.

As the final whistle blew the realisation that Barnsley Ladies FC had managed to turn the season around and with other results going their way, had finally secured promotion out of the North East Regional Womens Football league (NERWFL) and into the 4th tier of the Ladies game The FA Women’s Premier league Northern Division 1.

The League Champions Cup was presented to Abby Parkin after the game by the NERWFL Secretary and the celebrations continued long into the Sunday evening.
Congratulations to all the players, coaches and volunteers. Thank you for all your support and don’t forget one more game on the 21st May League Cup Final against Wallsend Boys Club Ladies FC at Wilberfoss York, can Barnsley Ladies FC do the Double? Come on you Reds!!!!