So near and yet so far as Rotherham United Women fall to defeat

Action from Sunday's game between Basford United and Rotherham United Women. Picture by MIKE GRETTON

A GAME of few clear chances and fine margins went against Rotherham United Women as their impressive unbeaten run came to a disappointing end.

Basford United ran out 2-0 winners at Greenwich Avenue, scoring once in each half and thankful to some last-ditch tackles for keeping the Millers at bay.

Their victory takes them above Rotherham and into third place in the East Midlands Regional Premier Division.

Milly Colford went home frustrated after nipping in to win the ball high up the pitch and closing in on goal, only to clear the crossbar with her right-footed shot, while Caitlin O’Callaghan was denied by a superb block as she looked

certain to score.

The Millers had rallied after an early setback, when Basford pinched possession and Isabel Sullivan took full advantage to slot home her tenth of the season.

Katrina Parsons produced a fabulous stop moments later to keep the arrears to one as Rotherham began to find their feet in the game.

Tempers flared as half-time approached, with home winger Laura Porritt booked following a confrontation with Sidni Simmons.

The Millers enjoyed plenty of midfield possession and a series of corners but failed to seriously test Basford keeper Emma Porter.

And after a clutch of second-half openings failed to result in an equaliser, Porritt took centre stage.

She passed up a glorious chance by skying the rebound after Parsons clawed away a long ranger from Georgia Gladwin but was not to be denied six minutes from time.

Evading sub right back Lucie Thompson, Porritt fired across Parsons and in off the far post.

Still Basford were unable to take it easy as the Millers pressed well into four minutes of stoppage time under the setting Nottinghamshire sun.

But the goal wouldn’t come and Pete Jarvis’s side headed home to South Yorkshire empty-handed, with attention now shifting to Sunday’s trip to unbeaten leaders Lincoln United.

The Reserves were left to run defensive errors as they went down 6-4 at Kiveton Park.

Two goals from Georgia Harris and one each from Maddy Wilson and Nnola Oyeka weren’t enough to force a result against their section’s second-placed side.