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08
May
Knaresborough Town Women promoted to Premier Division
Knaresborough Town Women’s first team have been promoted to the Premier Division of the West Riding County Women’s Football League.
The Boro, who play tonight against Ackworth Girls, can pop the champagne early after promotion rivals Golcar United were beaten by Thackley yesterday (May 7), rendering them unable to catch the Manse Lane side.
It means Knaresborough, who were only established in 2022, have now achieved three successive promotions to reach the top division of the West Riding County league.
With two games left to play, Knaresborough could finish on 47 points, only five points behind unbeaten league winners, Thackley.
Knaresborough will not be fearing any of the teams in the league above next season.
This season, in the League Cup and County Cup, they defeated Farsley Celtic, Harrogate Railway, Forge Way and Leeds Medics and Dentists, who all play in the Premier Division.
Results like 7-0 and 8-1 against Brayton Belles in the league this year were made possible by considerable attacking threat across the pitch.
While 16-year-old Ellis Baxter tops Knaresborough’s scoring charts with 17, 10 from Cass Lane, eight from Grace Adams and seven from Emily Crispin are just some examples of the side’s impressive goal-threat.
Knaresborough’s promotion also ensures a local rivalry will be played in the Premier Division next year between them and Harrogate Railway.
The Stray Ferret recently spoke to Harrogate Railway manager Rich Burns, who told us that while he does not see it as a rivalry, it is “brilliant for the region and the division”, and that the Manse Lane side deserved to go up.
Knaresborough Town manager, Michael Bligh, told the Stray Ferret what it meant for the club to be promoted, and to get to face Harrogate Railway in the league next season:
It means everything. This was the vision we had when we started the club three years ago.
We have managed to keep this group of ladies together over the last three years, developing them all tactically, and they've really bought into it.
We're excited to play against Harrogate Railway. They're a great club and we have good relationships with their players and staff. Lots of the players know each other, and there are two sisters that play against each other. There's bragging rights involved.
Bligh told us that the vision is now to get promoted again, although he conceded that it would not be easy, with only the league winner being promoted from the Premier Division.
Despite this, he told us that he is confident in his squad. He continued that Knaresborough would only bring one or two new faces to the club, rather focusing on the talent already available.
He also mentioned the club's under-18 team, that the first team wants to "tap into" as its players improve.
Knaresborough will kick off their promotion celebrations away at Ackworth Girls tonight, at 7.30pm.
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