Report: Bristol City Women 0-2 Manchester City Women

Second-half goals from Nikita Parris and Jen Beattie booked the visitors a place in the semi-finals of the competition and continued their unbeaten run.

The current league leaders defeated the Vixens 4-0 last month in WSL 1, but City Women came out firing in front of their home fans at the Oaklands Park Stadium.

It was the home side who created the first clear opening of the game in the 16th minute but Yana Daniels shot wide of Karen Bardsley’s right-hand post, after a great cross from Lauren Hemp.

Less than a minute later, Sophie Baggaley pulled off a tremendous double save from close range to thwart Jane Ross and Nikita Parris in quick succession as they attempted to force home Claire Emslie’s cross.

Hemp saw her left-foot shot from 25 yards comfortably saved by Bardsley just after the half-hour, while Stokes fired a long-range attempt for the visitors over the bar before the break.

Both sides went in at half-time honours even, but there was a feeling that only something special was going to break the deadlock.

That special moment came in the 62nd minute, when the influential Emslie fed Abbie McManus, whose deep cross saw Parris charging in from beyond the far post to net with a neat downward header.

The visitors could have extended their lead in the closing stages, but Jill Scott headed just over the top from Izzy Christiansen’s corner and Baggaley pulled off another fine stop to block a fierce Parris shot and deny her a double.

City Women fought to the last, but Beattie and Steph Houghton were solid all day at the back for Manchester City.

The result was sealed in the 90th minute when Beattie headed home from Christiansen’s corner two minutes from time.

Bristol City Women: Baggaley; Turner, Kerkdijk, Matthews; Estcourt (Allen 67), Biesmans,  Humphrey (Palmer 74), Arthur, Dykes; Daniels, Hemp. Subs not used: Watson, Brown, Goddard, P.Wilson, E.Wilson