Super Shrewsbury Town delighted with their show of support

Salop’s ladies’ team played their first West Midlands Regional Premier Division game on the Meadow turf – winning 3-0 against Shifnal Town in front of a record 912 fans.

Town were comfortable winners thanks to Kim Bebbington’s opener and Katie Doster’s brace – and Rimmer says the attendance was beyond what they had hoped for.

She said: “It is what makes the attendance so incredible because it was just a league game – it was not a league cup game it was not a final, so to be pulling in those sorts of numbers at a tier five game was unbelievable.

“Before the women’s Euros, we were looking at about 500, but we have not had the opportunity to play on there since the women’s World Cup and the Euros. So I would have been disappointed if we would have done less than what we did before.

“So we weren’t sure if it was too bold to try and aim for 1,000, I think conservatively were hoping for 600 or 700 – so to get what we did was unbelievable.

“We want to put Shropshire on the map for women’s football so it was a massive game and a local derby. We were hoping it would be well attended and the local community would get behind us.

“For me, I was in a quite unique position being a director and a player. I was involved in the organising and I think as a player that almost helped because stopped me from having any pre-game nerves.

“On Saturday night, I was messaging people and making tweaks to the programme as normally you are trying to calm down and prepare yourself for the game.

“There were nerves and we have some young players in the squad the majority of the feelings were that of excitement.”

Rimmer says the success of the Lionesses over the last 18 months has been so important for the development of the game in this country.

“I don’t think we can put into words how much we owe all the Lionesses and all those who came before them too,” she said.

“Their success in the Euros and the women’s World Cup has been a pivotal turning point and the Lionesses are now household names. Around 10 or 15 years ago I would know them, but people in the street would not.

“Now you don’t need anyone to tell you who they are because everybody knows them, and that shift has just been amazing, and hopefully it is feeding down into the leagues.”

Meanwhile, AFC Telford United’s West Midlands League Division One North clash at Coventrians was called off due to wet weather – The New Saints did not have a game either.

No Shropshire side played in the Staffordshire Premier League – but there was some action in the Shropshire Super League.

Ellesmere Rangers drew 1-1 with Broseley Ladies. AFC Telford Reserves won 11-0 at Meresiders, while Shrewsbury Up & Comers put seven past Newport on their way to a 7-1 victory.

There were two wins for Shrewsbury at the weekend as their junior ladies’ team won 4-1 at home against Market Drayton.