Gwalia United secured a valuable 2-0 win over MK Dons at Stadium MK, with goals from Ellie-Mai Sanford and Kylie Nolan sealing a hard-fought victory in an entertaining contest.
Clinical Gwalia make the difference
MK Dons started brightly, pressing high and looking to dictate the tempo. Sophie Byrom had an early sight of goal inside the opening minutes, but her effort lacked power and was easily gathered. Gwalia, however, soon grew into the game. Ruby Scahill’s driving run down the left in the sixth minute led to a dangerous ball across the face of goal, but Chloe Lloyd’s curling effort sailed just over the bar. The breakthrough arrived in the 26th minute. Lloyd delivered a teasing free kick into the area, and Nolan’s clever footwork on the byline created the opening for Ellie-Mai Sanford, who arrived at the right moment to slot home from close range. MK Dons looked to respond and had their first shot on target early in the second half when Wellham tested the goalkeeper, but Gwalia remained solid at the back.
Nolan doubles the lead
The second half saw MK Dons push forward in search of an equaliser, but they struggled to break down a disciplined Gwalia defence. Megan Dellar, making her debut in goal for the hosts, produced a series of fine saves to keep her side in the contest, most notably denying Scahill from point-blank range in the 59th minute. Gwalia’s second goal came in the 70th minute, where a defensive mix-up saw the ball break kindly for Nolan, who made no mistake in smashing her finish beyond Dellar to put the game out of reach. Gwalia kept chasing and Emily Poole unleashed a long-range strike that forced Dellar into a flying save. Despite their efforts, MK Dons couldn’t find a way through, and Gwalia held firm for a crucial three points.
‘A deserved win’ – Reaction
James Thomas, Gwalia United manager: “I thought we controlled the game well, took our chances, and defended strongly when we had to. It was a fantastic team effort.”
Full-time: MK Dons 0-2 Gwalia United
