2015 Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. season

The 2015 season was Doncaster Rovers Belles' fifth season in the FA WSL, and their second season in the second tier of English women's football.

Doncaster Rovers Belles
2015 season
ChairmanTeresa Aitken
ManagerGlen Harris
StadiumKeepmoat Stadium
WSL 22nd (promoted)
FA CupFifth Round
WSL CupGroup stage
← 2014
2016 →

After the Belles narrowly missed out on promotion in the previous season, Gordon Staniforth resigned on 30 October 2014.[1] Former Lincoln Ladies manager Glen Harris was appointed on December 8, 2014, beating competition from all over Europe; including Belgium, Croatia, Italy and the UK.[2]

This season also saw the introduction of a new club crest, combining the old-style Doncaster Belles badge, with the more recently used Doncaster Rovers badge.[3]

Squad

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ENG Nicola Hobbs
2 DF   ENG Lyndsey Cunningham
3 DF   ENG Samantha Tierney
4 DF   ENG Leandra Little (Captain)
5 DF   ENG Rhiannon Roberts
6 MF   ENG Kasia Lipka
7 DF   ENG Molly Johnson
8 MF   ENG Sue Smith
9 FW   ENG Courtney Sweetman-Kirk
10 MF   ENG Emily Roberts (on loan from Notts County)
11 MF   ENG Bethany England
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 MF   ENG Reanne Thomas
13 MF   ENG Sophie Stamp
16 MF   ENG Ashleigh Mills
17 FW   ENG Nicole Dale
18 MF   ENG Sophie Barker
22 GK   ENG Danielle Hill
23 DF   ENG Lauren Cresswell
24 MF   ENG Hope Knight
GK   ENG Megan Govier
FW   ENG Jody Handley

Transfers

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No. Pos. Name Country Transfer From Date Source
18 MF Sophie Barker   ENG Sheffield 13 January 2015 [1]
10 MF Emily Roberts   ENG Notts County (loan) 26 January 2015 [2]
FW Jody Handley   ENG Everton 28 January 2015 [3] Archived 2015-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
22 GK Danielle Hill   ENG Durham 29 January 2015 [4]
No. Pos. Name Country Transfer To Date Source
10 MF Millie Bright   ENG Chelsea 27 November 2014 [5]
5 FW Jessica Sigsworth   ENG Notts County 6 January 2015 [6]
15 DF Victoria Williams   ENG Sunderland February 2015 [7][permanent dead link]
14 FW Lucy Sowerby   ENG Bradford City March 2015 [8] Archived 14 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
FW Jody Handley   ENG Retired 6 May 2015 [9]

Statistics

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As of 12 June 2015
No. Pos Nat Player Total WSL 2 FA Cup WSL Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK   ENG Nicola Hobbs 11 0 9 0 2 0 0 0
2 DF   ENG Lyndsey Cunningham 9 0 7 0 2 0 0 0
3 DF   ENG Samantha Tierney 4 0 0+4 0 0 0 0 0
4 DF   ENG Leandra Little 11 1 9 1 2 0 0 0
5 DF   ENG Rhiannon Roberts 11 1 9 1 2 0 0 0
6 MF   ENG Kasia Lipka 11 0 9 0 2 0 0 0
7 DF   ENG Molly Johnson 4 0 1+2 0 0+1 0 0 0
8 MF   ENG Sue Smith 11 7 9 5 2 2 0 0
9 FW   ENG Courtney Sweetman-Kirk 11 9 9 7 2 2 0 0
10 MF   ENG Emily Roberts (on loan from Notts County) 9 4 8 4 1 0 0 0
11 MF   ENG Bethany England 10 5 8 4 2 1 0 0
12 MF   ENG Reanne Thomas 7 0 1+5 0 0+1 0 0 0
13 MF   ENG Sophie Stamp 5 0 0+5 0 0 0 0 0
14 FW   ENG Lucy Sowerby 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 MF   ENG Ashleigh Mills 2 0 1 0 0+1 0 0 0
17 FW   ENG Nicole Dale 2 0 0+2 0 0 0 0 0
18 MF   ENG Sophie Barker 11 1 9 1 2 0 0 0
22 GK   ENG Danielle Hill 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 DF   ENG Lauren Cresswell 9 0 4+3 0 2 0 0 0
24 MF   ENG Hope Knight 8 0 5+2 0 1 0 0 0
GK   ENG Megan Govier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   ENG Jody Handley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Players who left the club during the season:

Goals record

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As of 12 June 2015
Rank No. Po. Name WSL 2 FA Cup WSL Cup Total
1 9 FW Courtney Sweetman-Kirk 7 2 0 9
2 8 MF Sue Smith 5 2 0 7
3 11 MF Bethany England 4 1 0 5
4 10 MF Emily Roberts 4 0 0 4
5 18 MF Sophie Barker 1 0 0 1
4 DF Leandra Little 1 0 0 1
5 DF Rhiannon Roberts 1 0 0 1
Own Goals 0 0 0 0
Total 23 5 0 28

Matches

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Pre-Season Friendlies

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On 15 January 2015 Arsenal Ladies announced that they would play a friendly against the Belles, in a clash of two former heavyweights.[4] On 28 January, Liverpool Ladies became the second club to announce a friendly against Doncaster.[5]

15 February 2015 Friendly Arsenal Ladies 4–1 Doncaster Rovers Belles Hatfield
14:00 GMT Nobbs   53', 80'
Sanderson   64'
Sampson   83'
Report Barker   60' Stadium: Hertfordshire Sports Village

FA Cup

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On 12 January 2015 the draw for the Third Round Proper of the FA Women's Cup was made. The Belles were drawn at home to London Bees, with the match to be played on 1 February 2015.[6] This fixture was then rearranged to be played a day earlier on 31 January.[7] In the Fourth Round, Doncaster were drawn away to either Bradford City Women or FC Reedswood, depending on who won the postponed tie.[8] The postponed match was won by Bradford, with the Fourth Round tie to be played on 8 March.[9]

31 January 2015 Third Round Doncaster Rovers Belles 3–0 London Bees Doncaster
18:30 GMT England   53'
Sweetman-Kirk   62'
Smith   79'
Report Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium
22 March 2015 Fifth Round Manchester City 3–1 Doncaster Rovers Belles

FA WSL Cup

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Rovers were drawn in Group 2. They play 5 matches in the group.

Group Stage Doncaster Rovers Belles 0–3 Manchester City
30 July 2015 Group Stage Doncaster Rovers Belles v Liverpool
16 August 2015 Group Stage Everton v Doncaster Rovers Belles
27 August 2015 Group Stage Doncaster Rovers Belles v Durham
30 August 2015 Group Stage Sunderland v Doncaster Rovers Belles

FA WSL 2

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On 26 January 2015, the fixtures for the coming season's WSL were released, with the Belles starting their fixtures at home to Durham Women.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT: Staniforth Resigns". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. ^ "STATEMENT: Harris Appointed". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 8 December 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. ^ "CLUB: New Badge Unveiled". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Pre-season schedule announced". Arsenal Ladies F.C. 15 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Reigning champions to play Belles". Liverpool Ladies F.C. 28 January 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  6. ^ "The draw for The FA Women's Cup was made at Wembley". The FA. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  7. ^ "FIXTURES: London Bees Date Change". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 21 January 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Villa will meet Yeovil in FA Women's Cup Fourth Round". The FA. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  9. ^ "FA CUP: Bradford Trip Up Next". 8 February 2015. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  10. ^ "Belles begin promotion push at home". Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. 26 January 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.