Report: Bristol City Women 1-0 Everton Ladies

What Happened?

In the opening stages of the game neither side looked like getting foothold in the game, Everton came closest when Angarad James’ in-swinging corner almost found the back of the net, but Ella Rutherford was on hand to head off the line and relieve pressure.

The game sparked into life on roughly the half an hour mark when up stepped the prolific, Lucy Graham. The midfielder picked up the ball in the Everton half and drove at the heart of the defence before unleashing a pinpoint strike which clipped the inside of the post and found the back of the net.

Everton tried to respond before the first half was over but they were met by a resolute and compact Bristol City Women defence who didn’t allow the visitors to create any clear cut chances.

Midway through the second half the game began to open up, Ella Rutherford looked to test Levell but her left-footed shot flashed just over the bar, before Julie Biesmans went close with a low driven effort.

Sophie Baggaley then produced an unbelievable double save as she tipped Elise Hughes’ effort on to the bar and palmed away Hannah Cain’s effort whilst on the floor, Cain had a follow up attempt but she could only find the post and City Women escaped unscathed.

Abi Harrison broke up the opposite end of the pitch and tried to test Levell from range, but to no avail. Biesmans then whipped a wicked free-kick towards goal which forced Levell into a smart save to keep her side in the game.

Everton had two chances to win it at the death but Baggaley again made a great save to smother Charlotte Boye-Hlorkah’s effort as well as stopping Cain’s effort with her leg after Loren Dykes made a phenomenal tackle to prevent the striker getting a clean effort on goal.

Bristol City Women held out to secure the victory and consolidate their position of fifth in the Women’s Super League table, sitting on twenty-five points.

Teams:

Bristol City Women: Baggaley, Dykes (C), Evans, Kerkdijk, Pattinson, Brown, Biesmans, Humphrey, Graham (Kemppi 90’), Rutherford (Ayane 84’), Harrison

Subs: Watson, Allen, Wilson, Woolley, Payne

Everton Ladies: Levell, Turner, George, Brougham, Worm (Hughes 55’) , Magill, Kaagman (Boye-Hlorkah 71’), James, Stringer, Finnigan, Brownlie (Cain 68’)

Subs: Flaherty, Bryson, Hinds, Bruinenberg

Key Moment:

With the game needing a moment of inspiration, queue the talismanic, Lucy Graham.

The midfielder picked up the ball forty yards out and drove at the Everton defence before rifling a shot in the top corner from twenty-five yards.

The goal was her twelfth in all competitions this season and wrapped up all three points for her side.

Phenomenal.

Player of the match:

Week in, week out Loren Dykes performs for her side and this week was no exception.

Bristol City Women’s captain made surging runs forward all afternoon giving the hosts a springboard in attack as well as coming up with crucial tackles to keep her side in the game.

Leader.

Photo of the match: