The Belles suffered defeat in their final pre-season friendly as they lost 3-2 away at Ossett United on Sunday.
The hosts took a three-goal lead before strikes from Abby Watkinson and Jasmine Saxton saw Zoey Shaw’s side close to making a comeback, but for some resolute defending from Ossett to deny the Belles a third.
It was the Belles who had the first effort of the game, with Trialist A having an effort from the edge of the box sail just wide of the top corner following good work down the right between Isabella Trevillion and Lily Wishart.
The hosts then took the lead just after a quarter of an hour, with a ball over the top from Lauren Swailes finding Ellie Betteridge in space.
She slotted the ball through for Jenna Wraith who calmly slotted the ball past Grace Dixon to open the scoring at Dimple Wells.
Wishart would have the Belles’ first chance to get back on level terms 10 minutes later, with Trialist A again involved.
The trialist would see a header fall into the path of Wishart at the back post, only for Wishart to strike the ball into the side netting.
Wraith and Swailes would be the main link-up threat for the hosts and they were at it again just after the half-hour mark, with Swailes seeing her effort saved well by Dixon in the Belles goal.
However just five minutes later, the hosts would get the second they had been looking for, as a mix-up between Trevillion and Dixon allowed Wraith to poke the ball into the empty net, doubling Ossett’s lead.
It would be three with the first real effort of the second half, with a corner from the right being cleared out only as far as Aleathia Smith who looped the ball over substitute goalkeeper Kirsty Johnson from the edge of the box.
Immediately though the Belles would have a glimmer of hope by yet another defensive mix-up, with home stopper Laura Wilson seeing her clearance blocked by Watkinson and trickling into the net.
Wishart would have the Belles next chance, with a Lauren Breen corner being cleared out to the left-back who shot just wide of the far post on the volley.
Substitute Hannah McWilliams would then draw the best out of Wilson in the home goal, seeing her effort from the edge of the box clawed out the top corner and away from danger.
Breen would be next to test Wilson, with her low shot from distance being parried around the post for a corner, but it wouldn’t be long to wait before the Belles’ second.
Last week’s hat-trick hero Saxton was at it again, fending off a challenge from an Ossett defender, and with the advantage played, she got past her marker and slotted under Wilson from a tight angle to reduce the deficit.
However, a resolute Ossett defence was able to see the game out, with the Belles unable to break down their hosts as they went in search of a third goal, and they will now look to get back to winning ways next weekend as the regular season begins.
The Belles host Leafield Athletic at Rossington’s Oxford Street next Sunday August 18 in FAWNL Division One Midlands and tickets are available via the Club Doncaster Box Office. Purchase yours now by either visiting in-store at the Keepmoat Stadium, by calling on 01302 762576, or online at tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk.