There was immeasurable improvement in the performance and, despite having let an early lead slip to being two goals down with fifteen minutes to play, Pride’s persistence was rewarded with two goals in time added on to salvage a point.

Pride made an encouraging start winning two early corners. From the first of these, Steph Eadon redirected the ball goalwards from just outside the six yards box, but the goalkeeper saved with her feet and Wirksworth scrambled the ball away at the expense of another corner. Although Pride weren’t able to make anything of it, they were ahead after 8 minutes when Loren Roberts intercepted a forward pass, playing forward to Steph Eadon and her layoff was perfectly weighted into the path of Daisy Bowen who showed a clean pair of heels to the recovering defenders before slotting the ball wide of the advancing keeper into the corner [0-1].

Pride were only ahead for five minutes, however. A hopeful lob into the area and a deceptive bounce presented Wirksworth’s striker with a clear shooting opportunity from eight yards – Jade Howell blocked the first attempt but the striker was first to the rebound to level the scores [1-1].

Pride continued to create openings – Steph Eadon with a good effort from distance that just cleared the crossbar, and Daisy Bowen almost reprised her opening goal when put through by Tash Allderidge but the Wirksworth keeper anticipated well, although Daisy was able to retrieve the loose ball she couldn’t direct a difficult shot on the turn on target.

Pride regained the lead, however, after a good combination with Aimee Healy-Raynor put Steph Eadon in space just outside the area, and her controlled shot was well placed inside the far corner after 25 minutes [1-2].

Apart from a chance for Daisy Bowen one-on-one with the keeper, which was saved, and a scramble in Pride’s goalmouth cleared up by Annie Laight and Jade Howell, both teams limited each other to shots from distance without causing too much trouble for the ‘keepers so at half-time it remained advantage Pride [1-2].

The advantage was not only wiped out but was reversed within four minutes of the restart as Wirksworth levelled with a speculative shot from distance that deceived Jodie Hill and, a minute later, Pride failed to anticipate a through ball allowing a striker in for a lofted shot that gave Jodie no chance [3-2].

It would have been easy for Pride to feel a sense of déja vu at this stage, but to the players’ credit they rallied and tried to get back into the game – the first chance of note coming after 55 minutes, when Steph Eadon carried the ball into the area but wide of goal, drew the keeper out and slipped the ball into the centre – unfortunately just too far for Daisy Bowen to get in a shot, although she did manage to help the ball on to Jess Page, but her shot was saved.

There was a let off for Pride two minutes later, as the defence were drawn to the ball after a headed clearance, leaving a striker unattended in the centre of goal – who was found with a pass back into the box, but her shot rebounded off the crossbar and was cleared. Aside from this, however, the defence – and the team overall out of possession - were much more resolute and resilient than last week.

Tash Allderidge’s defence splitting pass put Daisy Bowen in the clear after 64 minutes and she did well to create an angle but just dragged her shot wide of the far post. With just under 20 minutes to play Wirksworth got in behind Pride’s defence and the cross from wide was met by the striker, Jodie Hill blocked the initial shot at close range but was unfortunate to see the ball rebound off the striker and into goal [4-2].

Tash Allderidge almost pulled one back on 78 minutes, when her high lofted shot from 25 yards was dipping under the crossbar; the keeper was only able to parry it onto the post before diving at Daisy Bowen’s feet to block the follow up. The goalkeeper needed lengthy treatment after being injured in making the save but was able to continue.

With twelve minutes to play and two goals down Pride rolled the dice, bringing Jodie Hill out of goal and there was almost immediately more penetration from Pride Park – a corner was put over her own crossbar by a Wirksworth defender from six yards, and Jade Howell’s kick upfield was laid off by Daisy Bowen to Jodie Hill, who found Steph Eadon in space – her shot was parried by the keeper – Daisy Bowen was first to the loose ball but the keeper did just enough with a dive at Daisy’s feet for the shot to clear the crossbar.

In the first minute of time added on Wirksworth had possession on half-way, and a heavy touch receiving a pass was pounced on by Otty Baker who responded brilliantly to the trigger to not only press the defender but get a decisive touch to prod the ball forward and put Daisy Bowen clear in the centre. As the defenders tried to make up the ground Daisy raced clear and slid the ball past the advancing keeper from inside the area [4-3].

The momentum had firmly swung back behind the Pride and they levelled in the eighth minute of time added on, as Aimee Healy-Raynor capped off a fine performance with a clever assist, anticipating the bounce well to win a header in midfield before scooping a delicate ball over the Wirksworth back line – although a defender got a head to it she could only glance it goalwards into the path of Daisy Bowen who ran through to slide the ball beyond the keeper with the outside of her foot – rescuing a point and completing a hat-trick with the last kick of the game, a reward for her and the team’s persistence.

It was no more than the players deserved from a significantly improved performance – which, irrespective of the result, was important after last week – it was definitely a case of a point gained and in the end a draw felt very much like a win.
It was a close call, particularly with Daisy Bowen bagging a hat-trick, but Player of the Match was Aimee Healy-Raynor for putting in a real shift in midfield, capped off with a couple of assists.

Pride return to Moorways next Sunday when they host Duffield Dynamo (ko 1.30pm)