Three-goal Grace Shipman blows away Long Eaton as Mansfield Town Ladies produce goals blitz

With a possible third-place finish still in sight for the Stags, they got stuck into already-relegated United early, with Maia Taylor crashing in the first after just two minutes, arriving at the back post to convert Eve Shaw's low cross from the left.

Erin James, starting in the centre forward position for the visitors, tested impressive home keeper Millie Smith, with two good efforts, as did left-back Monica Bowley.

Bowley collected the rebound from hers and found Mathilda Evans. Her deft pass played in Shaw, who found the far top corner from the edge of the area on 20 minutes to make it 2-0.

Then it was the Shipman Show.

On 36 minutes, Amy Pashley's ball up the right wing was squared perfectly by Millie Edwards and Shipman drove her first-time shot low past Smith and into the net.

Mansfield nearly conspired to concede moments later when, playing out from the back, the ball cannoned back off United striker Niamh Mullarkey and Stags keeper Amy Price had to dive smartly on to the loose ball before the hosts could capitalise.

Shot of the day didn't result in a goal, but Shipman's perfectly struck volley from Martha Roper's cross on 41 minutes hit the bar with such force it was probably still shaking at half-time.

By then, Grace had her brace, collecting Smith's wind-affected punt, powering into box and slamming the ball into the roof of the net for 4-0.

Mansfield picked up where they left off after the break, and had it not been for Smith the scoreline could have reached double figures.

Chrystal Smiley was denied by her after breaking through the Long Eaton backline with blistering pace.

But the hosts had no answer when Evans found Gabby Foulkes, who waltzed into the box from the left and laid the ball back for Shipman to seal her hat-trick from 12 yards and make it six goals in three games.

The striker was replaced by player-of-the-season Libby Bartlett on 73 minutes, but Mansfield weren't done with the goalscoring.

Two minutes later, a slide-rule pass from Edwards released Taylor and her ball across the box was thumped home by Shaw for 6-0.

And it only took another 120 seconds or so before Olivia Standeven had the freedom of the penalty area to head home Evans’ corner from the left.

Powerful running from Evie Jowett and the strength and neat touches of home skipper Sommer Smith meant the hosts still carried a threat, but Mansfield's centre-back pairing of Chloe Hutsby and Alaya Price calmly marshalled the backline.

The scoring was sewn up with seven minutes to go when Standeven’s throw-in gave Foulkes licence to maraud into the area once again to zip in a pass which Edwards gratefully tapped home from close range.

Mansfield are now at home for the final three matches of the campaign, beginning with a tricky encounter with an improving Dunton & Broughton United at the RH Academy on Sunday (2pm).

Mansfield Town Ladies: Amy Price, Roper, Standeven, Hutsby, Bowley, Bartlett, Evans, Pashley, Shaw, James, Taylor. Subs: Shipman, Edwards, Foulkes, Alaya Price, Smiley.