10.30 am on a wet Sunday morning as team, management and spectators board the coach for the 1st game of the FA WNL to Chester le Street who already have a win under their belt.
This season there are spectator spaces available on coach, 1st come 1st served, for only £10 contact Steve Maddock on 07880598014 to secure a seat to enjoy the full experience with the match day team.
The pitch was a lush green, but the rain is unrelenting as Dave Kelly leads the pre-match warm up.

2pm: game time as the teams line up before the respect handshake, team huddles and Lucy Turner winning the toss, the teams switch ends and Chester le Street playing up the slight slope in the first half, kick off. Lining up in a 4-1-2-3 formation 2018-19 officially underway for Barnsley FC Ladies for new manager Chris Hamilton.
1st min Chester le Street (CLS) are awarded a free-kick which they loft into the penalty area, but the flag is up for offside.
5 min Darcie Greene hits a lovely cross field pass left to right into the channel for sister Drew Greene to chase, but the CLS goal keeper is alert to chase across and gather as it skits off the wet surface.
8 min Rebecca Hornsey puts in a strong headed clearance of a CLS cross into the box to set up a break out with Drew Greene taking it up to half way before threading it through to Amy Woodruff. She drove inside towards the box before passing into the left channel run from Lissa Woodhouse who was tackled to win a Barnsley throw.
11 min against the run of play CLS break from a goal kick up the left wing, the pullback ball inside to the edge of the area takes a bobble and number 9 shins it up and over Skye Kirkham into the top right corner of the Barnsley goal. 1-0 Chester le Street.
15 min Darcie Greene is lively in midfield, finding another pass out to Drew Greene who takes it into the right corner before passing back out to Rebecca Hornsey in support, she crossed into the penalty area for Amy Woodruff to rise high and head into the hands of the goal keeper.
21 min CLS are awarded a free kick about 20 yard out on the right side of the penalty area when Rebecca Fevers over stretched to catch the player. CLS No 6 swung in a perfect cross into the penalty area which No11 headed into the goal, only for it to be ruled out for offside.
24 min CLS midfield played a ball straight through the Barnsley defensive line with No 11 on to it quickest to slide the ball past Skye Kirkham as she came out to try and reach it first. 2-0 Chester le Street.
26 min CLS tails were up now and their No 10 was spritely up the right wing, almost getting away from Darcie Greene, but she stuck to her and managed to win the ball right in the corner. Breaking out she found the feet of Amy Woodruff who managed to turn her player before passing into the left channel for Lissa Woodhouse to chase, but once again the CLS goal keeper was alert to the danger and quickly across to clear for a Barnsley throw.
28 min Barnsley were awarded a free- kick form the left wing which Rebecca Hornsey swung into the penalty area but it was headed clear.
29 min a right wing channel ball from Sophie Bell finds Lissa Woodhouse and she wins a corner which is swung in by Sophie Crosby only to be punched clear by the CLS goal keeper.
32 min 30 yards out Lissa Woodhouse on the turn hits a shot which skits off the surface but the CLS goal keeper is well positioned and gathers securely.
34 min CLS break up the left wing again, this time Lucy Turner makes a timely slide in to just get a foot to clear out for a corner which is headed clear by Sophie Bell.
36 min a heavy late tackle on Rebecca Hornsey results in a caution for the CLS centre midfielder. As Rebecca was receiving treatment off the field, Amy Woodruff swung in the free kick just past the outside of the far post.
39 min Amy Woodruff is fouled by the CLS No2, the referee has a word. Some allowance for the conditions by some of the CLS challenges were particular strong and late.
43 min CLS are awarded a free kick on the left wing as Lucy Turner blocked off another attempted break up that side. The resulting cross was cleared safely by the head of Annie Ward.
45 min Lucy Turner, from the back releases Drew Greene down the right, she plays in Sophie Bell on the loop into the corner to swing in a cross which is cleared only as far as Rebecca Fevers whose shot from 30 yards out goes over the cross bar.
48 min half- time and into the changing room 2-0 down, but Barnsley FC Ladies had finished the half the stronger.
Second half started with CLS still flying into challenges with their No 9 late on Lucy Turner within the 1st minute.
52 min Darcie Greene was cut down by another late tackle central 25 yards out. From the free kick Sophie Crosby hit toward the goal and the goal keeper fumbled out for a corner which the keeper palmed away and CLS defender cleared.
53 min Barnsley substitution with Rebecca Fevers replaced by Kathryn Smith.
56 min CLS broke down the left wing which required Lucy Turner to slide across to hit the ball out for a throw, banging her head on the ground but after a moment or two she shook off her grogginess.
59 min Barnsley managed to string together a series of passes from their half forward with Darcie Greene into Kathryn Smith, back to Darcie Greene, into Rebeca Hornsey, to Drew Greene and out to Kathryn Smith in the right wing channel, winning a Barnsley throw deep in CLS half, but it only resulted in a goal kick.
63 min Amy Woodruff was tackled driving forward up the left wing, and CLS broke quickly through No10 taking it around Sophie Crosby and playing in No11 to shoot wide.
64 min CLS again broke down the right with Sophie Crosby conceding a corner this time which went straight out for a goal kick.
66 min with Kathryn Smith almost away on the attack she was brought down by the No 6, who was cautioned.
68 min CLS thread a through ball again straight through the Barnsley defence with No 10 in hot pursuit, but Skye Kirkham was alert and got to it fist 25 yards out to clear up field and out to Drew Greene on the right wing who almost got through the CLS defensive line but No 4 slid across to concede a throw.
70 min A high foot on Lissa Woodhouse resulted in a Barnsley free kick out on the left wing which Amy Woodruff took, striking it just over the cross bar.
72 min Sophie Crosby took a Barnsley corner from the right which Amy Woodruff headed back into the goal area where Lucy Turner attempted an overhead kick which the goal keeper gathered.
75 min CLS corner was headed away by Rebecca Hornsey, but it came back into the penalty area and was cleared by Annie Ward.
77 min CLS attacked and Annie Ward tackled cleanly to concede a corner from which CLS No 9 headed over the top.
78 min CLS substitution
80 min Lissa Woodhouse hit a long left to right wing pass into Drew, she took on her defender and managed to cross into the box just in front of a despairing out stretched foot of Amy Woodruff.
81 min Rebecca Hornsey played up to Sophie Bell on the right wing, she found Drew Greene who played into Lissa Woodhouse then back out right to Amy Woodruffe who had made the run into the right channel, she played into the box where it was cleared only as far as Rebecca Hornsey who dragged her shot just wide of the left upright.
83 min Sophie Crosby took another Barnsley corner from the right, Amy Woodruff rose high at back post to head onto the crossbar, the rebound scrambled away for another corner. Sophie Crosby again swung in a lovely cross and this time Annie Ward headed goal wards and under pressure from Lucy Turner the defender scuffed her clearance into the left and side of the goal ; 2-1 Chester le Street
88 min From a CLS corner on the left their No 2 rose clear and headed in their 3rd, 3-1 Chester le Street
90 min Barnsley free kick just outside the penalty area was hit along the floor straight into the goal keeper’s hands.
92 min Kathryn switched play from right to left wing where Darcie Greene tried to break through the defence but was tackled, CLS breaking forward and Barnsley ended up defending their area as the Referee blew for full –time.
Drew Greene was named opposition player of the match and Kathryn Smith player of the match.

Chris Hamilton commented on twitter post match 'Learnt loads about the BFCLadies Squad today, 3-1 defeat to start the league campaign, but great character shown after the first 30 minutes and unlucky not to get a point in the end. #WeGoAgain.'

Next up two home games vs Bolton Wanderers Women, first in the League Cup and then the week after in the league