Liverpool Feds 1-1 Huddersfield Town
Wednesday 28th October 2026 19:45
FA Women’s National League
Walton Hall Park
Despite three changes being made to the starting XI of Sunday’s FA Cup win in Leeds, the lineup to face Huddersfield was unchanged from the last league match against Loughborough Lightning. Johnson, McEvoy and Butcher came back into the starting lineup, replacing Fryer, Andrews and Bouggess.
The away side started the game the stronger, as yet again an early goal was scored. Huddersfield took the lead after just four minutes following a high team press, enabling Griffiths to make an interception in the middle of the park. The Huddersfield midfielder played it into Cartmell, who teed up her teammate Olivia Page. Page fired the ball first time with her left foot, expertly placing her shot across McAloon and into the top left corner.
The visitors continued to take control of the game in the opening 10 minutes and an opportunity for a second fell at the feet of Biggins. Her attempt forced McAloon to make an important save with her feet to deny the Terriers a chance to double their lead.
The next 20 minutes of the game were very even, with a couple of half-chances coming at both ends. The hosts began to ask some questions of their opponents, including a flurry of crosses into the Huddersfield box. Most notably, a dangerous cross off the right wing from Butcher found an unmarked Brady at the back post, but her headed attempt was caught by Davies in goal for the Terriers.
With the Feds attempting to find an equalising goal before half time, they began to commit a few more players forward. With two minutes to go before the end of the half, the visitors tried to exploit this and catch the Feds on the counter. Page was at the heart of the attack, as she played a pass into the feet of Birtwistle, who then played the ball into the path of the overlapping left midfielder Livingston, who luckily for the Feds, sliced her effort wide of the near post, resulting in a goal kick.
The second half was underway and yet again the Feds started slow, with a big chance going the way of the visitors. A neat through ball was played through the lines of the Feds defence, putting Birtwistle in a promising position with only McAloon to beat having broken the offside trap. Birtwistle tried to place the ball in the far corner of the net with her right foot, but the Feds number 1 came bravely off her goal line to make the save.
The Feds began to grow back into the game after a 55th minute chance from Ellie Jones was denied by Davies. Brady picked up the ball on the edge of the Huddersfield penalty area and slid through Jones from the right flank. Ellie Jones took a touch and fired her effort towards goal, but Davies denied the hosts an equaliser with a somewhat simple save at her near post.
A strong penalty appeal from the Feds was waved away by the referee with just over 20 minutes left of the game. Wilson was fouled on the right wing and the Feds players and substitute bench instantly questioned whether or not the foul was committed inside or outside of the penalty box. The referee awarded a free kick and the resulting attempt from Smith sailed over the crossbar.
Despite this disappointment, the Feds continued to push for an equaliser. Just minutes after their penalty appeal, the hosts had possession of the ball again on the right-hand side of the penalty box. Ellie Jones whipped in a perfect looping cross to the back post which met the head of Walters, who had managed to find space behind her opponent, leaving her unmarked. Walters nodded the ball back across goal, past the Huddersfield goalkeeper and into the back of the net, deservedly restoring parity for the Feds. The game was level with 15 minutes to go.
With tension rising on the touchline, the final minutes of the game were cagey. A series of corners came the way of the visitors, yet led to nothing, resulting in an eventual goal kick. The Feds managed to gain comfortable control of possession again in stoppage time and both teams were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw. It was a fair result for both sides, in a game that could have gone either way, a tight and breathless encounter.
Words: Louie Sparks
Photo: Laura Gates
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AWAY
Sunday 8th November, 2pm
Norwich City v Liverpool Feds
FA WNL Premier Division
Carrow Road, Norwich
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