Rovers Ladies are up to fifth in the Women’s Championship after making it 10 points from the last 12 available – with a consecutive clean sheet.

Elise Hughes converted from the spot early in the second half against Coventry United, much to the displeasure of the home players and bench, to give Rovers a 1-0 victory on the road.

It is Rovers’ highest league position since promotion from the third tier in 2018 and Donnelly felt an improved display in the second half was key to victory.

She said: “We're pleased with that result, we had to grind it out and see it out towards the end but it’s another three points and moves us further up the table and away from the danger zone.

“I think both teams nullified each other in the first half and neither could impose their style but I thought we grew into it more towards the end of the first-half and then came out in the second-half and took a hold of it.

“To be fair to Coventry, they were what I would describe as ‘aggy’ and broke everything down and were better than us in the first-half in general and we needed to address that at the break, and we did that, it was a tough and physical game.”

Hosts manager Jay Bradford felt the referee got the penalty call wrong, but Donnelly said: “It wasn’t a controversial decision for me, it was a clear penalty, I haven’t seen it back yet but Saffron said she’d took her legs so not sure what the drama was from the side-line but happy with that.”

Efforts on goal were at a premium in the first-half as both sides could only muster half-chances.

Shannon O’Brien went closest for the hosts at one end, while Rovers’ Maria Edwards drew a save from Sue Wood in the home goal.  

Jordan was denied by Wood early in the second half, before Alexandra Brooks was called into action at the other end to deny Amber Hughes, before Shannon O’Brien was also repelled by Brooks.

The big moment of the game came eight minutes into the second half when Jordan was bundled over in the box - the assistant referee flagging for a spot-kick which Hughes converted, slamming the ball down the middle.

The hosts pushed for an equaliser thereafter, but a Rovers defence made it four successive shut-outs to go into the international break fifth in the table.

Rovers: Brooks, Fletcher (Newsham, 63), McDonald, Richards, Johnson, Fenton, Doyle, Hodgson (Walters, 83), Hughes, Edwards (Jukes, 57), Jordan

Not used: Bentley, Dean, Embley, Boydell, Stewart

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