A tough battle saw Chesterfield FC Women seal a 3-2 victory away at Handsworth, extending their unbeaten run to five on the bounce.
Chesterfield caught the Handsworth backline on a counter-attack in the opening stages of the match as Foster picked up the ball in the fourth minute and weaved her way into the box, slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Both teams enjoyed spells of possession, but chances were very few and far between until the 27th minute when a breakaway effort left Foster through on goal and she played the ball out wide to Watkinson whose cross flew over the bar.
The game then remained quiet with Handsworth in control, but the Chesterfield backline remained calm and composed and excellently dealt with all of Handsworth’s chances.
In the 38th minute Chesterfield grew back into the game and started to really push for their second of the day, but a brilliant display from the Handsworth ‘keeper kept the onslaught of shots out of her net, keeping the deficit at 1-0 going into half time.
The Spireites came out the brighter side, keeping the ball and forcing all of the chances until finally, in the 59th minute, a weaving effort from Foster saw her fouled in the box, giving the Blues a penalty.
The penalty was taken by Foster, who calmly slotted it into the bottom left corner to put the Spireites in cruise control.
Andrea Parkinson’s side was not done there. Following the kick-off, the ball was won back in midfield and slotted in behind the Handsworth back line where a darting run from Pinkney saw her cut the ball back to Foster, who sealed her hat-trick with an excellent finish into the top corner.
The control remained in the Spireites hands until the 78th minute when the ball was picked up in midfield by Handsworth and the effort taken from distance looped over Carroll in goal, hitting the back of the net denying her a third clean sheet in a row.
The goal picked Handsworth’s spirits up and they ruthlessly attacked the Spireites back-line and they scored again in the 86th minute to spark hopes of a comeback.
Time ran out for Handsworth as the final whistle blew and a Foster hat-trick was enough to seal the victory, despite the late Handsworth efforts, extending their unbeaten streak to five games.
