Report: Bristol City Women 1-1 London City Lionesses (3-4 on penalties)

What Happened?

The first chance of the game fell to the hosts as Ebony Salmon picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired a shot on goal, but the forward dragged her effort wide of the target.

London City Lionesses opened the scoring on the fifteenth minute as Leanne Cowan picked up the ball in space and fired the ball into the bottom corner of the net from twenty yards out.

Kirsten Reilly then had a glorious chance to bring City level as Vita Van der Linden picked the midfielder out in the box, but she couldn’t quite trouble Thomas with her headed effort.

Salmon had another chance to bring the hosts level before the first half was over, she used her pace to spin Short and drive into the box, however, as she pulled the trigger her effort drifted past the post.

City trailed at the break and came out of the blocks flying with substitutes Flo Allen, Carla Humprhey and Abi Harrison in particular making a real difference.

It would be the latter who be the catalyst in City’s equaliser as she drove into the London City box and squared the ball to Charlie Wellings, who’s stroked the ball into the back of the net to bring her side level.

With the Robins on the front foot they chucked all they had at the Lionesses, but they held firm via any means necessary.

The hosts almost had a carbon copy second, but Salmon’s ball into Harrison in the six yard-box was bravely defended by Preist and the visitors cleared.

City almost had a sensational winner in the final ten minutes as Carla Humphrey struck the ball from twenty-five yards and it looked destined to fly into the top corner, but instead it rattled off the crossbar and the midfielder would be denied of a sensational goal by a matter of inches which meant the game finishing 1-1. 

Penalty Shootout

With the game locked up at 1-1 after ninety minutes, per FA Continental Cup protocol, we had a penalty shoot-out to decide who would take home an extra point.

City got off to the perfect start as former striker, Juliette Kemppi saw her penalty well saved by Sophie Baggaley.

The sides exchanged well taken penalties before Lucy Thomas tipped Olivia Chance’s penalty onto the post and level it up in the shootout with two spot kicks remaining.

With both sides neck and neck, Humphrey stepped up to take the host’s final penalty and she saw her effort smartly saved by Thomas down to her left to see the visitors claim the extra point. 

Teams:

Bristol City Women: Baggaley, Van der Linden (Allen 45’), Matthews, Sargeant, Evans, Reilly (Humphrey 55’), Wilson, Chance, Wellings, Salmon, Robinson (Harrison 45’)

Subs: Hillyerd, Dykes, Brown, Daniels

London City Lionesses: Thomas, Fitzgerald, Preist, Sampson, Short, Cowan, Wilson, Bennet, Fyfe (Balfour), Kemppi (Susanna), Ayisi (Ejupi)

Subs: Mackie

Key moment: Charlie Wellings

With London City Lionesses a goal to the good after the break at the SGS College Stoke Gifford Stadium, Bristol City needed an avenue back into the game sooner rather than later.

Substitute Abi Harrison made an immediate impact after being introduced at half-time and it was her break into the Lionesses’ box, and final pass which picked out Charlie Wellings to bring City level.

The goal was Wellings' first in City colours after joining in the summer. 

Needed.

Player of the match: Abi Harrison

Although only introduced half way through proceeding the City striker was full of running and made a difference to the City forward line.

She varied her play holding the ball up well, as well as running in behind to create headaches for the Lionesses’ defence and chances in abundance for City.

The Scotswoman bagged an assist in her forty-five minute display and brought energy in abundance to the Bristol City front line.

Spark.