On Sunday second placed Guiseley AFC Vixens made the journey across the Pennines to take on third placed Mossley Hill Ladies in the division’s top fixture of the day.
On a tricky sloping pitch Guiseley found it difficult to start with their normal passing game and Mossley Hill took the lead when a long ball split the Guiseley defence and the cross was turned into the goal by Mossley Hill Carmen Troiano.
Guiseley began to come to terms with the slope of the pitch and from an inswinging cross Nadine Bates celebrated her return to the starting eleven with an excellent run across the front of her opponent to turn the ball into the goal for a deserved equalising goal.
Half-time arrived with the scores level and little indication of the drama which would unfold in the second half.
Guiseley expected to start the half in the ascendancy but Mossley Hill had other ideas and showed good work rate and no little skill to score twice in quick succession to lead 3-1 with only 14 minutes left.
This Guiseley Vixens team refuses to accept defeat and a change of formation and a more direct style of play saw Mossley Hill get pushed deeper into their own area.
With 7 minutes left substitute Caroline Hulme produced a pinpoint cross from the left and again Nadine Bates came in from her normal wide position to reduce the arrears and increase the belief that Guiseley could get a result from the game.
With time running out Nadine Bates completed her stunning hat-trick with a carbon copy finish from a Kerrie Zserdicky cross from the left and even then Guiseley were not satisfied to settle for a point.
In the fourth minute of injury time a through ball found the league leading goalscorer Tanya Rich 25 yards from goal and she expertly lifted the ball over the goalkeeper for a dramatic winning goal.
Understandably Mossley Hill were bitterly disappointed to perform so well without reward but they played a full part in what was a pulsating game and a great advertisement for the FA Women’s Premier League.
Team: D Maslin, L Hunt, K Zserdicky, K Welham, L Whitton, C Blythe (C Hulme), E White, A Beresford, B Kendell, T Rich, N Bates.
