​Chesterfield edge past Basford to keep pressure on leaders

Blues top scorer Georgina Williams scored the only goal of the game to keep Chesterfield’s title hopes well and truly alive.

The hosts looked the more dangerous team from the start. A well-executed turn from a Basford midfielder allowed her to advance forward and look up to play a through ball to the onrushing striker, but Nic Watson bolted off her line to subsequently clear the danger.

A couple minutes later another through ball split the Chesterfield defence, however the Basford forward could not make the most of the chance as she sliced her volleyed effort into the palms of Watson.

The youthful Chesterfield side came close to breaking the deadlock in the 13th minute. Kel Fidler delivered what seemed to be a cross from a wide free kick which thereupon crashed against the post, leaving the goalkeeper scrambling while the follow-up effort was blocked by Basford.

Another defence-cutting through ball sent the Basford striker through on goal, but teenage centre-half Millie Jebb-Geer recovered excellently to pull off a sliding block and deny the hosts.

Jebb-Geer was soon up at the other end of the pitch when her long-range effort was saved by Basford goalkeeper Emma Porter.

The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute when Williams beat her marker for pace on the left wing; the angle was against her but she managed to get a shot away from a tight angle which crept into the bottom left corner to give the Blues the lead.

Eight minutes later, a cross from the left wing fell to a Basford attacker whose close-range shot was straight at Watson, before Williams saw a shot cleared off the line.

The second half replicated the same intensity as the first, Emmi Cook’s 25-yarder saved by the keeper.

With three minutes left to play Basford goalkeeper Porter poorly distributed a goal kick allowing Williams to pick up the wayward pass and present herself with a one-on-one opportunity. However, the goalkeeper redeemed herself as she excellently palmed her shot away, Williams again going close in stoppage time but dragging a shot wide.

Chesterfield currently sit in second place in the East Midlands Women’s Premier Division but have two games in hand over league leaders Notts County.