Shropshire Star

Boddison’s stunning derby treble sends Shifnal top

Jenna Boddison was the star turn as her hat-trick sent Shifnal Town Ladies above rivals AFC Telford and top of the league on derby day.

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The Shifnal hot-shot’s goal heroics turned around an enthralling New Bucks Head derby contest between two of the West Midlands League’s top sides.

The Telford hosts started the day top of the pile unbeaten with three wins from four, but a stunning comeback from the visitors – inspired by top scorer Boddison – rewrote the script.

And things were going well for Chris Brown’s Telford as Hannah Canning fired a first-half brace, with a single from Boddison, to put the home side ahead at the break.

But Mark Corbett’s visitors were inspired after the break and, led by their chief striker, clawed their way back into the contest.

Boddison’s seventh and eighth goals of the league season brought her side level and then edged them ahead in a first clash this season between sides expected to be battling it out at the top of the division.

Telford dropped to second after a first defeat of the season, trailing Shifnal by three points.

A point further back, in third, are county rivals Shrewsbury Town Women, who did not play over the weekend.

Town have played two games fewer than both Shifnal and the Bucks and are the only side to still boast a 100 per cent record, with three wins from three, and will be able to take to the summit should they win games in hand.

All three of the county’s West Midlands League sides, however, switch their focus this weekend to huge Women’s FA Cup ties.

The sides are preparing for third qualifying round ties for a place in the first round proper.

Shifnal welcome Notts County Women, of the East Midlands Football League, to the Acoustafoam Stadium on Sunday (2pm).

Notts were formed in 2018 following the demise of Super League side Notts County Ladies.

Telford are also at home, as North East Regional League outfit Rotherham Women visit the New Bucks Head.

Shrewsbury, who had nine-goal top scorer Maddie Jones named September player of the month, host county rivals Wem Town Ladies, of the higher tier National League Midlands.

Wem, meanwhile, endured another tough afternoon in the National League, where they went down to a 2-0 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers Belles.

For hosts Wem it is a third defeat from six this term and they sit down in 11th from 13.

Nadia Khan scored on the stroke of half-time for the visitors before Charlotte Dinsdale wrapped up the points with a second 20 minutes from time.

Finally, in the top tier Welsh Adran League Premier, The New Saints Ladies remain bottom with just a single win from six games this season after an entertaining 3-2 home defeat to Swansea City.

Courtney Ashworth and Lexie Harrison put the hosts 2-0 up in the first half but the Swans struck back before the interval and turned it around in the second half.