2016 Durham W.F.C. season

The 2016 Durham Women's F.C. season was the third season of football played by Durham Women's F.C.. They competed in FA WSL 2, the second tier of women's football in England, and also took part in the FA Women's Cup and the FA WSL Cup.

2016 Durham W.F.C. season
2016 season
ManagerAmee Clark
StadiumNew Ferens Park
FA WSL 24th
FA Women's CupFifth round (Eliminated by Notts County)
WSL CupPreliminary round (Eliminated by Sheffield)
Top goalscorerLeague: Beth Hepple (11)
All: Beth Hepple (16)
Highest home attendance537 (vs. Millwall Lionesses, 6 November 2016)
Lowest home attendance197 (vs. Charlton Athletic, 28 February 2016)
Average home league attendance391
Biggest win9–0 vs. London Bees
Biggest defeat4–0 vs. Yeovil Town

Background

Durham Women's F.C. were formed in 2013 through a merger between South Durham & Cestria Girls Football Club and the sport department of Durham University. The two organisations had joined forces specifically to apply for a place in the new FA WSL 2, and they became founder members of the division when it began play in 2014.[1]

Their first two seasons had seen them finish in sixth place in 2014,[2] and seventh place in 2015,[3] but they hoped the 2016 season would mark an improvement in form that would lift them into the top four teams of the division.[4]

Season review

Pre-season

There was a small amount of activity in the transfer market involving the club over the off-season, with three players leaving and three joining. Northern Ireland international Julie Nelson announced on Twitter the day after the final game of the 2015 season that she would be leaving the club.[5] Caroline Dixon, who had missed the entire 2015 campaign due to a serious knee injury,[6] was released in early December,[7] and goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse left to join WSL 1 side Doncaster Rovers Belles just before Christmas.[8][9]

The three players brought in were goalkeeper Megan Borthwick from Newcastle United, who was signed to replace the outgoing Moorhouse,[10] and defenders Becky Salicki and Sarah McFadden (a former Northern Irish international), who both joined from Sunderland.[11][12]

Beth Hepple received international recognition over the winter with call-ups to England Under-20 training camps in October, November and January,[13][14][15] while Chloe Macek was placed on stand-by for the England Under-19 training camp in October.[13]

February

The first team returned to competitive football on 7 February when they faced fellow FA WSL 2 side London Bees at The Hive in the third round of the 2015–16 FA Women's Cup. Durham recorded an emphatic 9–0 victory over the Bees, with Beth Hepple scoring a hat-trick and Jordan Atkinson and Natalie Gutteridge both netting twice. Chloe Macek and Jessica White scored the remaining two goals.[16] The fourth round saw the Wildcats record a home win over FA Women's Premier League side Charlton Athletic. Gutteridge (x2) and Hepple were the scorers in a 3–1 victory that secured a place in the fifth round.[17]

March

The FA Women's Cup had now reached the fifth round, at which point the WSL 1 teams joined the competition. Durham had been given a difficult draw, away to top flight Notts County. The game went to form and the Lady Pies ran out 3–1 winners. Rachel Williams (x2) and Ellen White gave County a three-goal lead, before Beth Hepple scored a late consolation for the Wildcats.[18]

Three days after their elimination from the FA Cup, Durham travelled to Sheffield for the opening game of the 2016 FA WSL season.

April

Sarah McFadden was recalled to the Northern Ireland national team,[19] her first call-up for over two years.[20] Durham's only match in April saw them record a comfortable 5–1 victory over Oxford United towards the end of the month, which maintained their position at the top of the WSL 2 table.[21]

May

Durham added to their squad when they signed midfielder Tyler Dodds from Sunderland on the 18th.

June

A mid-season break for the WSL meant that there was little activity in June. The only match came at the end of the month when Durham hosted Yeovil Town at New Ferens Park. Yeovil, who were top of the league going into the game, recorded a 2–0 win with Atlanta Primus and Sarah Wiltshire scoring the goals.[22]

July

The month began with the signing of former Notts County winger Emily Roberts, who had been on loan to Doncaster Belles in 2015 and spent the early part of the 2016 season playing for Sheffield.[23] She made her debut for the Wildcats three days later in a 3–0 victory over Aston Villa, which saw Durham move up to third place in the WSL table.[24]

Shortly afterwards Lauren Jordinson left the club to join Watford for the remainder of the 2016 season, due to her taking up an internship in High Wycombe.[25] The next match ended in a scoreless draw with second-placed Bristol City,[26] which allowed Everton to climb above them in the league table, dropping Durham to 4th.

Durham made the long journey to Yeovil Town on the 24th, where they suffered their heaviest defeat of the season to date. Sarah Wiltshire and Helen Bleazard both scored, and Ann-Marie Heatherson netted twice in the Somerset team's 4–0 victory. The day after the game it emerged that Wiltshire was three months pregnant, and this would be her final match until after the birth of her baby.[27]

September

Defender Sarah McFadden won her fiftieth international cap for Northern Ireland in a UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifier at home to Italy.[28]

Squad
As of 30 October 2016
NoNameFA WSL 2FA CupWSL CupTotalDiscipline
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1Helen Alderson16 (0)03 (0)01 (0)020 (0)000
3Chloe Macek11 (2)02 (0)10 (1)013 (3)100
4Lauren Jordinson0 (3)00 (0)00 (0)00 (3)000
5Sarah Wilson17 (0)03 (0)01 (0)021 (0)050
6Sarah McFadden16 (0)23 (0)01 (0)020 (0)220
7Beth Hepple17 (0)103 (0)51 (0)021 (0)1520
8Courtney Corrie0 (1)00 (1)00 (0)00 (2)000
9Nicki Gears4 (0)13 (0)00 (0)07 (0)100
10Natalie Gutteridge15 (1)33 (0)41 (0)019 (1)700
11Jordan Atkinson17 (0)33 (0)21 (0)021 (0)500
12Nicola Gibson2 (7)20 (1)00 (0)02 (8)200
13Megan Borthwick1 (1)00 (0)00 (0)01 (1)000
14Becky Salicki17 (0)11 (1)01 (0)019 (1)120
15Sarah Eadon4 (10)11 (1)01 (0)06 (11)100
16Ellie Christon17 (0)03 (0)01 (0)021 (0)020
17Jess White0 (0)00 (2)10 (0)00 (2)100
17Emily Roberts10 (0)30 (0)00 (0)010 (0)300
18Gaby Banks0 (0)01 (0)00 (0)01 (0)000
18Mercy Darkoah0 (7)20 (0)01 (0)01 (7)200
19Tyler Dodds5 (7)00 (0)00 (0)05 (7)000
20Amelia Pereira2 (0)01 (2)00 (0)03 (2)000
21Jennifer Jennings2 (2)00 (0)00 (0)02 (2)010
96Rachel Lee12 (0)03 (0)01 (0)116 (0)110
Sasha Adamson0 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)000
Megan Elliott0 (2)00 (0)00 (0)00 (2)000
Annabel Johnson2 (3)00 (0)00 (0)02 (3)000
Sophy Stonehouse0 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)000

Transfers

In
DatePlayerPositionJoined from
30 December 2015Megan BorthwickGoalkeeperNewcastle United
3 January 2016Becky SalickiDefenderSunderland
13 January 2016Sarah McFaddenDefenderSunderland
30 April 2016Mercy DarkoahMidfielderSheffield Wednesday
18 May 2016Tyler DoddsMidfielderSunderland
7 July 2016Emily RobertsMidfielderSheffield

Out
DatePlayerPositionJoined
19 October 2015Julie NelsonDefenderCrusaders Strikers (NIR)
1 December 2015Caroline DixonForwardDurham University WFC
21 December 2015Anna MoorhouseGoalkeeperDoncaster Rovers Belles
15 July 2016Lauren JordinsonDefenderWatford

Results

WSL 2
23 March 2016 Sheffield0–1DurhamDronfield
19:00 GMT Report Jordan Atkinson  44' Stadium: Coach & Horses Ground
Attendance: 474
Referee: Alan Hull
28 March 2016 Durham2–0London BeesDurham
12:00 BST Jordan Atkinson  36'
Beth Hepple  72'		 Report Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 307
Referee: Helen Byrne
24 April 2016 Oxford United1–5DurhamAbingdon
12:00 BST Ini Umotong  10' Report Sarah McFadden  2'
Nicki Gears  7'
Natalie Gutteridge  45+1'
Beth Hepple  67'  84'		 Stadium: The Northcourt Stadium
Attendance: 485
Referee: Daniel Lamport
1 May 2016 Aston Villa2–0DurhamSutton Coldfield
14:00 BST Katie Wilkinson  67'
Mollie Rouse  82'		 Report Stadium: Central Ground
Attendance: 371
Referee: Neil Pratt
19 May 2016 Durham1–0SheffieldDurham
19:00 BST Natalie Gutteridge  83' Report Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 369
Referee: Helen Conley
22 May 2016 London Bees2–2DurhamNorthwood, London
12:00 BST Sarah Wilson  43' (o.g.)
Jo Wilson  83'		 Report Beth Hepple  55' (pen.)
Mercy Darkoah  79'		 Stadium: Northwood Park
Attendance: 161
Referee: Andrew Williams
26 June 2016 Durham0–2Yeovil TownDurham
12:00 BST Report Atlanta Primus  57'
Sarah Wiltshire  73'		 Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 403
Referee: Lindsay Robinson
10 July 2016 Durham3–0Aston VillaDurham
14:00 BST Sarah McFadden  39'
Becky Salicki  67'
Sarah Eadon  72'		 Report Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 502
Referee: Rebecca Welch
17 July 2016 Durham0–0Bristol CityDurham
12:00 BST Report Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 351
Referee: Helen Byrne
24 July 2016 Yeovil Town4–0DurhamYeovil
12:00 BST Sarah Wiltshire  5'
Helen Bleazard  16'
Ann-Marie Heatherson  87'  88'		 Report Stadium: Huish Park
Attendance: 756
Referee: Scott Jackson
31 July 2016 Durham3–0WatfordDurham
12:00 BST Beth Hepple  17'  68'
Emily Roberts  65'		 Report Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 357
Referee: Shane Slugden
14 August 2016 Everton1–1DurhamWidnes
14:00 BST Michelle Hinnigan  74' Report Emily Roberts  15' Stadium: Halton Stadium
Attendance: 280
Referee: Natalie Aspinall
28 August 2016 Durham2–1Oxford UnitedDurham
12:00 BST Beth Hepple  20' (pen.)
Jordan Atkinson  34'		 Report Ella Franklin-Fraiture  66' Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 297
Referee: Tony Peart
11 September 2016 Millwall Lionesses0–1DurhamBermondsey, London
12:00 BST Report Beth Hepple  29' Stadium: The Den
Attendance: 536
Referee: Robert Claussen
24 September 2016 Bristol City1–0DurhamFilton
16:30 BST Olivia Fergusson  17' Report Stadium: Stoke Gifford Stadium
Attendance: 870
Referee: Alan Berrow
9 October 2016 Durham1–3EvertonDurham
14:00 BST Beth Hepple  35' Report Gabrielle George  11'
Claudia Walker  26'
Lauren Davies  90+2'		 Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 399
30 October 2016 Watford1–6DurhamBerkhamsted
14:00 GMT Ellie Mason  10' (pen.) Report Natalie Gutteridge  42'
Beth Hepple  43'
Emily Roberts  45'
Nicola Gibson  69'  71'
Mercy Darkoah  72'		 Stadium: Broadwater
Attendance: 331
Referee: Michael Heavey
6 November 2016 Durham2–1Millwall LionessesDurham
14:00 GMT Natalie Gutteridge  32'
Beth Hepple  43'		 Report Amber Gaylor  90+2' Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 537
Referee: Helen Conley

FA Women's Cup
7 February 2016 Third roundLondon Bees0–9DurhamEdgware
12:00 GMT Report Jordan Atkinson  8'  45'
Beth Hepple  10'  33'  53'
Natalie Gutteridge  28'  89'
Chloe Macek  80'
Jessica White  90'		 Stadium: The Hive
Attendance: 197
Referee: Kevin Howick
28 February 2016 Fourth roundDurham3–1Charlton AthleticDurham
14:00 GMT Beth Hepple  20'
Natalie Gutteridge  43'  87'		 Report Gemma Shepherd  26' Stadium: New Ferens Park
Attendance: 197
20 March 2016 Fifth roundNotts County3–1DurhamNottingham
14:00 GMT Rachel Williams  15'  55'
Ellen White  29'		 Report Beth Hepple  76' Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 497

FA WSL Cup
8 May 2016 Preliminary roundSheffield3–1DurhamDronfield
14:00 BST Emma Johnson  29'
Chelsea Flanagan  85'
Hannah Dale  88'		 Report Rachel Lee  78' Stadium: Coach & Horses Ground
Attendance: 156
Referee: Adam Burgess
gollark: Although you'd then need central coordination, you would probably want central coordination anyway.
gollark: I would have separate drones running each part of the route.
gollark: That doesn't tell you how much they use *per second* or anything *when flying*.
gollark: Knowing the necessary power is the problem; I don't know how much drones use to operate.
gollark: Yes, I mean I don't know how you would know what counts as too low.

References
  1. Steph Clark (25 June 2014). "Durham Women gear up for Super League bow". Northern Echo. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  2. "WSL 2 2014". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  3. "WSL 2 2015". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  4. "Durham are aiming high for new FA Women's Super League season". Sunderland Echo. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  5. "Julie Nelson". 18 October 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via Twitter.
  6. Steph Clark (17 February 2015). "Durham skipper suffers injury blow". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  7. "CONTRACT: Dixon Departs". Durham Women's Football Club. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  8. Ameé Ruszkai (23 December 2015). "Anna Moorhouse makes Doncaster switch". Vavel. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  9. "Women's Super League: Anna Moorhouse joins Doncaster Belles". BBC Sport. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  10. Jennie Powell (2 January 2016). "Durham sign Megan Borthwick from Newcastle United". 4 the Love of Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  11. "Durham sign Becky Salicki". Women's Soccer Scene. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  12. "Durham: Wildcats sign defender Sarah McFadden from Sunderland". BBC Sport. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  13. "INTERNATIONAL: Hepple and Macek Earn England Praise". Durham Women's Football Club. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  14. "INTERNATIONAL: Hepple In U20 Camp". Durham Women's Football Club. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  15. "INTERNATIONAL: Hepple On England Duty". Durham Women's Football Club. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  16. "REPORT: London Bees 0-9 Durham". Durham Women's Football Club. 7 February 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  17. Connor Lamb (28 February 2016). "Football Match Report: Durham 3–1 Charlton Athletic". Women's Sport UK. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  18. "Notts County Ladies 3 Durham Women 1: Match report". Nottingham Post. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  19. Stuart McKinley (8 April 2016). "Skipper Hutton returns as Wylie's Northern Ireland girls take on Czechs". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  20. "INTERNATIONAL: McFadden In Northern Ireland Squad". Durham Women's Football Club. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  21. Brown, Neil; Brown, Mark, eds. (28 April 2016). "The FA WSL". Women's Soccer Scene. Vol. 16 no. 35. p. 4.
  22. Stephen D'Albiac (27 June 2016). "Yeovil Town Ladies stay top of the league after impressive Durham Women triumph". Western Gazette. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  23. Ameé Ruszkai (7 July 2016). "Durham complete the signing of Emily Roberts". Vavel. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  24. Nick Loughlin (10 July 2016). "Durham crush Aston Villa". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  25. Kudzi Musarurwa (16 July 2016). "Lauren Jordinson signs with Watford". Vavel. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  26. Lewis Hancock (18 July 2016). "Report: Durham Women 0-0 Bristol City Women". Bristol City Football Club. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  27. "Women's Super League Two: Yeovil striker Sarah Wiltshire announces pregnancy". BBC Sport. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  28. "Women's uphill task just got a whole lot tougher". Irish Football Association. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
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