£400

Nottingham Forest 2-0 Burnley (Women's Super League 2)

I'm back at the City Ground for the third time this season, Forest are going well in WSL 2 unbeaten in their opening four games so far but with three draws including last time out on the road at Southampton.

Burnley I last watched here a couple of seasons ago, promoted from the National League North in the summer they are still looking for a first league win in the second tier after two draws and two defeats so far.

I was supposed to be overseas today. I booked a Ryanair flight and three nights at a non refundable hotel near Dublin so laid out over £400 to cover a couple of games with the main focus being Ireland v Israel in the UEFA Nations League. I wasn't previously savvy to the political shenanigans between the two until realising last week that Israel's home leg was being played on neutral territory, after quickly checking with nerves I found out the game which I thought was in Dublin, was in fact being played near Belgrade in Serbia, so plan B, I spent yesterday in Harrogate and today will be in blighty instead, a shame because I was looking forward to my trip to the Emerald.

So £400 down but a lesson learned, I'll a) remember to check venues next time I request a match coverage and b) will always pay the extra to take a refundable hotel in future.

The crazy thing is, it would have been cheaper to get to and stay in Belgrade, but having lost out due to my own carelessness, I wasn't prepared to take that trip and extra financial burden, the bosses understanding, kindly arranged my contingency but wouldn't take any other responsibility for my stupidity.

So, after a walk into West Bridgford with the wife in the morning (which at least pleased her), I'm out early afternoon back towards my earlier route but this time in the car. I've pulled up about as close as I can get without paying to park, on the corner of Musters Road, walking past Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, and into the City Ground car park through the main stand turnstiles and up the steps of the Peter Taylor Stand before sitting down with a cup of tea and a snickers, the only other chocolate bar on offer at the kiosk was a Tony's and I didn't fancy that.

The Venue

The players are out warming up as I spot a friend on comms duty, I have a chat with him before seeing another fella I know who's scouting sat down in the press area, I've not seen him for a while as he says he's trimming down on Sunday's because he doesn't need the money. Lucky him.

It's well covered under here, central, very red inside the arena, the seat I often pick at the back of the Main Stand is on half way and has a great view centrally positioned, the roof above blocks the panorama slightly so you can only see the bottom tier of the stand opposite whilst both ends can be viewed up to the top tier, the stand on my right, the Bridgford End, has been having some new safe standing seats installed, and it seems a few have been added since I was last here a week ago last Wednesday.

The Game

Forest are starting with their tall Norwegian striker Tuva Espas today, she's yet to score her first goal since signing from Valeranga, and it's the Reds who dictate the early openings with pressure persistently played in the Burnley half, the pitch blessed in Sunday sunlight.

There's plenty of the football passed between red but they don't really carve any early openings, the best chances look like they'll come from Burnley goalkeeper Jacqueline Burns who lives dangerously with her own possession game. Some oohs and aahs every time she makes a pass.

Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah is Forest's most inventive player, she finds herself one v one and inside the area but angles her shot well wide, before Leticia McKenna has an effort also off target, as the pressure builds Burnley finally cave, on the stroke of half time Tuva bundles one home, her first goal in Garibaldi.

The Score

Burnley bring on a Forest legend in Charlie Wellings who gets a good reception as she makes her way onto the pitch for the start of the second half, but Wellings is isolated with Forest again dominating with the ball, the back three have time on their hands to stroke it around, the full backs pushing on into advanced areas, the midfield dominates, the only thing they don't have is that killer edge to take the game away from the Clarets.

And the later it goes the away side start to gain momentum, a series of corners are suddenly won during their best spell of the match, but at the other end a shot from nothing is spilled, Tuva Espas is there again, prodding home predatory from close range, the goal that seals the deal? She's rewarded by immediately being substituted soon after she finishes celebrating.

The goal gives Forest confidence that the game is won and late on they probably should crown things off to a more glossy verdict, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah has done everything but score today, she deserves a goal, she has one shot saved at the near post by the keeper before trying to curl one in to no avail, but missed chances aside it's a routine victory for Forest who are dominant from minute one, certainly the best performance I've seen from Tom Mallinson's Reds this season.

The Stars

Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah has some real swagger and is the star who starts on the left, cuts in on her right, and makes things happen with subtle touches and a swivel of her hips, if only she would score more goals, but then if she did, she might be playing higher than WSL 2. She has of course previously played for Everton, Aston Villa and London City Lionesses now into her thirties, she has 10 goals in 27 league games for Forest over the last season and more but creates so many chances for herself.

Forest this season have a solid spine and are improving year on year, Katie Cox is a young England youth international on loan from Chelsea, she has recently come in for Emily Batty who isn't a bad goalkeeper herself, but Cox looks to be another level and is very competent with a bright future aged just 20.

Defensively I really like the tall leggy ball spraying Hannah Coan who they signed from Portsmouth whilst Georgia Brougham captains the side with real quality and leadership, calm and efficient, anything Coan or Brougham misses Mustaki mops up in the organised back three, whilst young Cerys Brown at right wing back and Abbie Lafayette on the left provides good quality, Lafayette in particular is very good on the ball offering experience in that position.

In midfield Alana Murphy is one that makes it all tick, like Sam Tierney at Leicester, underrated, unassuming, but one I think who does exceptionally well for the team, breaking down opponents moves and ticking along her own teams style from that deep lying central position with simple passing and movement.

As for Burnley, nothing much from an attacking sense, I really like their left back Alethea Paul who I remember playing for Sheffield United previously, she's solid and gets forward well, protecting the ball with good strength, whilst the creative spark is the mini number ten Christie Harrison-Murray. The experienced Scottish international of 81 caps had a reasonably good game, but alone, she couldn't help her side forge a way into the match.

The Verdict

Forest are now up to fourth in the table and are still unbeaten, other than a 2-0 loss in the League Cup to Aston Villa, where there wasn't a huge gulf between the two sides (Villa simply had more quality in depth) they have had a good start to the season so far.

I do think they are beginning to become a force to be reckoned with at the level, and whilst I think they'll come close this season, they might not have enough when it comes to the promotion race, but within two or three years I expect to see them in the top division, a team with real ambition who are starting to sign really good footballers for the level.

As for Burnley, second bottom with two points I think they'll be ok as it's a long season ahead and the team are organised and still awaiting to find themselves at the level, it will be tough, but if they survive the drop, they'll build again, and they'll be even better equipped after a year of WSL 2 football, to go on to bigger and better things to come.

The Teams

Nottingham Forest: Katie Cox, Georgia Brougham, Hannah Coan, Chloe Mustaki, Cerys Brown (Codie Thomas 90), Alana Murphy, Freya Thomas, Abbie Lafayette (Ebba Hed 90), Leticia McKenna (Rachel Rowe 78), Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, Tuva Espas (Lois Shooter 73).

Burnley: Jacqueline Burns, Maddi Wilde (Jessica Hennessy 68), Emma Siddall, Deanna Cooper, Naomi Hartley, Alethea Paul, Brenna McPartlan (Leah Galton 68), Tyler Toland, Jamie Finn, Charley Docherty (Charlie Wellings 46), Christie Harrison-Murray.

2:00pm Kick Off. Sunday 4th October 2026, City Ground, Nottingham (att 1,221).