Top Addicks

Nottingham Forest 0-2 Charlton Athletic (Women’s Super League 2)

Annoyingly my match at Brackley Town got called off yesterday, the weather in England is testing the soddened surfaces across the country with persistent depressing rain right now and it’s the second time in just a few days I’ve had a cancellation. I stayed in digs after the Forest Green match on Tuesday night, a quaint pub in the middle of the Cotswolds, to travel the following day down to Taunton, but luckily Town’s match against Wimborne was postponed as early as 10 in the morning, at least I didn’t get all the way to Somerset before realising its fate.

No similar worries with the weather as today’s match is on a world class Premier League surface at the City Ground, and it's stayed dry for a few hours this morning, my only concern is getting to the ground, do I walk the 45-minute journey, or shall I take the car and do it in five?

Forest were thumped last weekend at Birmingham City, a game which I was at, ironically today they face the Blues title rivals Charlton Athletic, the two having a real tussle at the top of the table, in fact as I set off my journey, Birmingham's 12pm kick off at Durham has them already a goal up, they’ll be looking to keep the pressure on the Addicks who go into the weekend leading the WSL2 table by three points.

Decision made, I’ve left it too late to walk, so I’m in the car and heading down towards West Bridgford and Musters Road where you can park without ticket troubles on a Sunday. Nothing around little after 1pm, I’m listening into the last over of England’s T20 World Cup match against Nepal, they need 10 to win but Sam Curran is holding firm, a brilliant last over from one of the world’s finest, ensures England cling on, just, and avoid huge cricketing upset.

The Venue

Speaking of cricket, I’m walking past Trent Bridge Cricket Ground and the famous Trent Bridge Inn which looks busy inside, across the Radcliffe Road down towards the Main Entrance of the City Ground, a small build up of people congregate outside the ticket office, as I walk through the club’s car park I’m told by a steward why, as if you’re a season ticket holder, the scans upon entrance for some reason are not working.

I try my phone code on the doors and have no such trouble, green light allows me straight through and I’m up the stairs of the Main Stand, towards the exact seat where I sat last time I watched the women play here against Sheffield United, bang centrally on the half way line, elevated, in fairness it’s the best view I’ve ever had here, I didn’t even know of it until a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve only been coming since 1987.

Why is it great? Set back and high up, you still feel close enough to the action, but it’s under cover, you feel cosy under the low roofed stand, panoramic, well away from any of the elements above, close to the press boxes but even more central, behind the Directors box but that bit higher.

The venue is red seated, wrapped around my eyeline, some thousand or so in this very stand, the rest of the place is empty as balls get thudded around in the warm ups.

As the pre-game concludes I pop and say hello to an old friend in the press area, then it’s on to the match, a decent crowd around me building, but plenty of vacant seats offer some privacy, as Mull of Kintyre is gently sung by fans holding scarves in the air.

The Game

I’m hoping to see more of an attacking force from Forest today, all be it against very good opposition at the top of the league, but can’t help feeling I was disappointed in them at Birmingham, they weren’t that great against Sheffield United either, but they have signed some very good players, another newbie, Australian, Alana Murphy is straight in the midfield for her debut.

Charlton look solid in shape, defensively resilient they have only let seven goals in this season, I recognise Elisha N’Dow who’s a tall centre half I have been previously impressed with, whilst left back Charlotte Newsham is very good, she carries the ball forward well and is winning her tussle with Reds Canadian winger Deanne Rose, who’s already had the physio’s on for an injury suffered, in the opening stages.

It’s been a bit stop start, but Charlton look the better team early doors, they open the scoring on 19 when the ball falls to Lucy Fitzgerald on the edge of the area, she curls right footed into the top corner for a fabulous goal, and within three minutes she adds a second, as a corner crossed in is nodded home, a crowded penalty area has seemingly everyone under the crossbar, but Fitzgerald is the one who gets the final touch.

The Score

Those two quick goals take the tie away from Forest before they have started to even attack themselves, but they do fight back, and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah misses a guilt edged chance ahead of half time, free inside the box, but scuffing a volley which she should have smashed towards target.

It looks like the Reds have had a rocket up their bums at the break, as they come out firing in the second half, Joy Omewa shooting wide, a cross flicks the crossbar, the Reds have the ball in the net but for offside, more woodwork is hit, before Whitehouse saves brilliantly from Boye-Hlorkah, Forest have been brilliant in the second half, completely dominant, but couldn’t get a goal to trouble Charlton into a nervy finish, it’s a real good effort against a very good, well organised team, but Forest fall short again, to title aspiring opposition.

The Stars

Charlton are defensively strong and backed by a brilliant goalkeeper in Sophie Whitehouse who pulls off at least one stunning save, they have a defence led by the calm and assured Elisha N’Dow, left back Charlotte Newsham is another who impresses, especially in possession where she’s very comfortable running forward with the ball, whilst Lucia Lobato is solid at centre half next to N'Dow.

In attack Lucy Fitzgerald stole the show with two well taken goals, whilst Jodie Hutton was very good on the left of midfield, they had 31% of possession did Charlton, but in shape and off the ball they were very well organised indeed.

As for Forest, who also had 11 corners to 2 and 17 shots to 3, they were much better than in recent weeks, I really think Joye Omewa will score goals in England, she made her home debut and was strong physically, a little naughty, she has a nasty streak perhaps, which I liked, she is powerful and contributed to the best moves the Reds made, as a number nine she links play well, but can turn defenders with power, always looking to get a shot off towards target.

Also very good, Alana Murphy in debut, getting around the pitch in midfield and making things happen, she put a real good shift in with tireless running, whilst Tove Almqvist played a couple of nice forward passes, I still think Forest are missing a bit of creativity, but their forward play was better, they do keep the ball well in their own third, without really attempting to penetrate opposition quickly enough.

The Verdict

A late goal for Durham against Birmingham pegged back City to draw which meant Charlton’s win has them top of the table by five points, Forest in seventh, not going up, they aren’t going down either.

The title race looks to be keenly contested and could go all the way to the wire, which is ironic because the last game of the season is between Charlton and Birmingham at the Valley. If it all boils down to that, what a thrilling scenario we might have?

The Teams

Nottingham Forest: Emily Batty, Cerys Brown, Georgia Brougham, Chloe Mustaki, Ebba Hed, Alana Murphy, Amy Rodgers (Rachel Rowe 73), Tove Almqvist, Deanne Rose (Leanne Kiernan 55), Joy Omewa, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.

Charlton Athletic: Sophie Whitehouse, Gloria Siber (Ellie Mason 73), Elisha N'Dow (Kiera Skeels 82), Lucia Lobato, Charlotte Newsham, Karin Muya (Mary McAteer 83), Katie Bradley (Katie Lockwood 73), Keira Flannery, Jodie Hutton, Amelie Thestrup (Gillian Kenney 58), Lucy Fitzgerald.

2:00pm Kick Off. Sunday 8th February 2026, City Ground, Nottingham (att 1,132).