Women’s football City sunk by champions Liverpool
BRISTOL City were beaten by newly-crowned Championship champions Liverpool in front of a record crowd for the women’s team of 5,752 at Ashton Gate yesterday.
Aggie Beever-Jones and Abi Harrison scored in either half for the hosts, but goals from Naimh Fahey, Jasmine Matthews, Katie Stengel and Missy Bo-Kearns secured victory for Liverpool.
The first chance of the afternoon fell the way of the visitors when Leanne Kiernan had a shot from just outside the area but Fran Bentley made the save.
Liverpool’s top scorer came close again minutes later when she saw her header from close range hit the bar after a long throw was launched into the box from Megan Campbell.
The leaders opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Liverpool captain Fahey slotted in from close range.
Two minutes later, Satara Murray played a pinpoint through ball to Beever-Jones, whose miscued cross
looped over the helpless Rachel Laws and into the far corner of the net to bring the Robins level.
Rachel Furness tried her luck from long range, before BeeverJones has an opportunity to put the hosts in front as she latched on to another Murray through ball, but Laws saved well with her feet.
The visitors regained the lead five minutes before the break through a familiar face to City fans as Matthews
fired in from close range after another scramble in the penalty area.
In the second half, Stengel opened a two-goal cushion for Liverpool as she found the bottom corner with a powerful shot.
City clawed their way back into the game with 20 minutes to play as Harrison bagged her 19th of the season. Ffion Morgan’s delightful cross found the feet of the striker, who picked out the bottom corner to bring the hosts within striking distance.
With just more than ten minutes to play, Liverpool sealed victory and with it the league title when substitute Bo Kearns tapped in from inside the six-yard box.
Near the end, City’s Jasmine Bull had a shot tipped over the bar by Laws. » This report first appeared on www.bcfc.co.uk.