Forest are held in latest friendly outing

Having met twice last season, Forest had an idea of what they were facing.

And they started well, with Charlotte Hartley putting Forest 1-0 up inside 10 minutes when she finished off a flowing move.

Forest took their foot off the gas and became a little lackadaisical in their approach.

They were soon punished when a ball into the D to a Ben Rhydding forward was finished incredibly well into the bottom left corner, giving Forest keeper Laura Kendall no chance.

This seemed to shake Forest up, and for the remainder of the half they dominated possession, albeit without firing on all cylinders.

Ben Rhydding were punished when their left defender had the ball taken off them by a Forest attacker, who played the ball down the line to Lisa Crewe.

Crewe dribbled along the back line before crossing the ball across the face of goal for Hayley Baines to finish.

Crewe then missed a penalty stroke to leave the score 2-1 at half-time.

The message at half time was to up the tempo, and again Forest dominated the second half.

Hartley went close on numerous occasions, as did Karen Wignall, before Ben Rhydding equalised, somewhat against the run of play.

A ball into the D from the right was slapped first time at goal and crept into the bottom corner.

This infuriated Forest who believed they deserved more out of the game.

Forest won several short corners and converted one when a shot from Crewe from the left side of the D was touched over the line by Baines for her second of the match.

With less than five minutes remaining, Forest thought they had the game sewn up.

Ben Rhydding had other ideas, and a stunning individual effort from a Rhydding forward secured the draw, when she dribbled into the left side of the D and fired a rocket of a shot into the roof of the net.

Forest’s first team begin their league campaign away to Liverpool Sefton on Saturday, September 22nd.