Women’s football Johnson and Palmer fire City to victory
BRISTOL City Women beat Sunderland 2-1 in the FA Women’s Championship, thanks to secondhalf goals from Melissa Johnson and Aimee Palmer.
Johnson had the first chance of the match, with the striker linking up well with partner Abi Harrison, but the ex-Sheffield United striker’s left-footed effort drifted wide of the post.
City again worked their way into the Sunderland box, but on an increasingly wet and boggy pitch the home side couldn’t get a shot away after Aggie Beever-Jones rounded the goalkeeper.
Moments later, a superb effort from Harrison by the right-side corner flag struck the bar, before further efforts from the Scot and Johnson following up were unable to find the back of the net. Harrison then turned provider, chasing down a long ball before laying it back to Johnson, whose left-footed shot was well saved by Claudia Moan.
The second half led to more of the same and, just before the hourmark, the Vixens’ made their pressure count, with Johnson calmly rolling her penalty into the bottom right corner after the ball had struck Grace McCatty’s arm.
Less than 10 minutes later, the lead was doubled, as Palmer struck a 40-yard free-kick wonderfully over Moan, with the Sunderland goalkeeper unable to keep out the looping effort.
Sunderland found their way back into the contest with defender Charlotte Potts heading past Fran Bentley in the City goal with less than ten minutes remaining, but it ended up being nothing more than a consolation as City secured a second win of the season.
Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor says he is the right person to take the team forward despite their third successive Women’s Super League defeat.
City were beaten 2-0 by visitors West Ham United and are nine points off the pace of leaders Arsenal after four games.