The Greens returned to league action after the Christmas break with a tough away fixture against Barnsley, facing an early start in miserable conditions — cold, wet and foggy. A new formation and a slight team shake-up added an extra challenge as the side looked to find rhythm after the festive pause.

The opening stages were shaky, with Barnsley applying early pressure. Despite conceding short corners, the Greens’ defence stood strong, denying Barnsley any goals from open play. Barnsley capitalised from set pieces to keep the pressure on, but the back line held firm and goalkeeper Loz was outstanding, producing crucial saves — including a superb sliding stop and another short-corner save — to keep the Greens in the contest. Barnsley also missed a golden chance with an open goal.

As the half progressed, the Greens began to grow into the game and started to dominate possession. Two consecutive short corners saw Abi G step up with straight strikes, unfortunately without reward, but they sparked belief and intensity across the team. Multiple attacking efforts followed, with play flowing through the midfield and pressure mounting on the Barnsley defence.

After a further tweak in formation and a positive team talk at half-time, the Greens came out firing in the second half. The response was immediate, with a goal in the opening minutes. Abi’s initial shot was well saved, but Kara reacted to force the rebound over the line.

From that moment on, it was all Greens. The midfield — Nehir, Lucy, Flo, Kara and Nic — drove the team forward relentlessly, creating wave after wave of attacks and several clear chances on goal. Despite dominating territory and possession, further goals proved elusive.

Barnsley struggled to gain any foothold in the second half as the Greens controlled the tempo and saw the game out with composure and determination.

Final Score: Barnsley 1 – 2 Chesterfield 2’s

A gritty, hard-fought game in difficult conditions, built on defensive resilience, a dominant second-half performance, and a positive return from the Christmas break.
POM was awarded to Lucy and Holly
Match Report by Jodie