Sheffield Wednesday Ladies lost their first home league of the season 13-0 to last season’s NERWFL Premier runners up Ossett United.

The West Yorkshire team applied for voluntary relegation from the top flight during the off-season following a campaign where they won 13 of their 20 games and proved too strong for Stewart Alexander’s side thanks to goals from Rowan Treagus, Emily Burton, Dani Sidebottom, Debs Hastings and Anais Wilby.

Despite player turnover during the summer that could be likened to SWLFC’s own challenges, United’s starting XI still featured five players who played a part in last season’s success, including Burton and Treagus, who both scored inside the opening six minutes to put the visitors ahead.

With Alexander once again trying to introduce new faces to the squad, Wednesday strung together some positive passages of play, including the returning Amy Broomhead having a loud shout for a penalty turned down with the score still 0-0. The SWLFC striker also hit the bar in the second half.

Broomhead was making her season debut, joining defender Rebecca Allen as the only two players in the match day squad that featured for SWLFC’s first team last season.

With a 4-0 score line at half time, the hosts kept battling in the second half but continued to ship goals against their more seasoned opponents, paving the way for a one-sided final result.

After the game, Alexander said: “Sometimes football reflects life where you draw lessons from setbacks and allow them to build character.

“Today was such a day where despite everything that happened, our ladies fought hard and never gave up.

“The result is a tough one to take on the chin, but we'll pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and start preparing for next week's FA Cup game against Morley Town.”

Elsewhere this weekend, the U18s were narrowly pipped at home by Charnock Ridgeway 1-0, whilst the U16s beat Middlewood Rovers 4-2.

The U15s threw everything at Harworth Colliery, hitting the post late in the game and having a strong shout for a penalty ruled as being outside the box, eventually losing 1-0 in a highly competitive clash.

The U14s went down 2-1 away to Handsworth, the U13s drew 2-2 with cross-town rivals Sheffield United Community Red, whilst the U12s tasted defeat against Chesterfield, 4-1 was the final score in that one.

In the lower age groups, both our U11 teams were in action with the Whites playing Sprotbrough & Cusworth and the Blues going up against Charnwock Ridgeway. The U10s were on the road against Barnsley FC, and the U9s entertained Steel City Wanderers. There was plenty of quality football across all four fixtures, well done to all.