NOTTS County Ladies are the early leaders of the Women's Super League after a 2-0 win at Everton Ladies yesterday.
County came out of the traps quickest as they looked to build on the draw with Arsenal in their season opener.
After just five minutes Notts took the lead. Rachel Corsie played the ball down the line to Jess Clarke, the striker doing well to turn her marker and win a corner.
Sophie Walton's initial delivery was twice cleared back to her, the midfielder floating the ball in to the six yard box where it was met by Katie Holtham. Rachel Brown-Finnis tipped her header onto the post but Clarke was on hand to apply the finish from a yard.
Clarke and Dunia Susi linked up on 13 minutes, the latter picking up Brown-Finnis' short kick and driving into the box, squaring the ball for Clarke, but Fern Whelan and Brooke Chaplen did enough to crowd out the goalscorer before she could get her shot away.
The home side had their best chance to equalise a minute later, Nikita Parris got in behind the Notts defence, lifting the ball over the advancing Carly Telford but the strike lacked conviction, the ball floating over the bar.
As the first half passed the midway point, Susi continued to cause problems for the Everton defence, jinking her way through three challenges before substitute Gabby George came in to nip the ball away and clear from danger.
As the fourth official lifted the board to indicate three minutes added time, Notts doubled their lead. Walton whipped in a corner from the County right, the ball bouncing off two Everton defenders and Clarke reacting quickest to prod the ball past Brown-Finnis.
It was the away side who again started strongest after the break. Clarke broke down the right and floated a ball to the back post. Laura-Jane O'Neil picked it up on the left and rolling it in to Susi, who fired just over.
County continued to break forward as Everton struggled to find a way back into the game, Clarke breaking forward from the halfway line and firing just wide of the angle, with 20 minutes left to play.
On 75 minutes Everton came closest to halving the deficit. Kelly Jones beat Telford to an Alex Greenwood cross, but O'Neil reacted quickest, clearing the ball off the line and away to safety.
