Harrison on target as City suffer defeat to Charlton
BRISTOL City fell to a 2-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic in the FA Continental Cup on Sunday.
Addicks defender Kiera Skeels opened the scoring after 10 minutes as she guided a header inside the far post from a corner.
Skeels would grab her second of the afternoon on the hour-mark, again nodding home from a set-piece, before City, who grew progressively into the game, pulled one back through Abi Harrison in stoppage-time.
The Robins returned to the ground where they had gained three points in the Championship less than a month earlier with hopes of bouncing back from a first defeat of the season last time out.
The two sides had made contrasting starts to their respective Conti Cup campaigns, with City having beaten Crystal Palace 4-0 while the Addicks lost out at the hands of Lewes.
Lauren Smith made five changes to the side which lined up against Birmingham City at Ashton Gate the previous weekend, as Liv Clark earned a second start of the season between the sticks while Maddi Wilde, Chloe Bull and Lily Greenslade also got the nod.
Elysia Boddy made her first start in City colours since signing in the summer.
The hosts took the lead with the afternoon’s first effort on goal as Skeels rose highest in the City box to direct a header into the far corner.
The defender went close to doubling her tally eight minutes later, as she forced Clark into action, with the City goalkeeper tipping her speculative effort over the bar.
The final action of the half saw Aimee Palmer find the top corner with a spectacular effort from 25 yards, only for the referee to signal a foul in the build-up.
In the second half, Shania Hayles fired wide from the edge of the area just three minutes after the restart before Palmer’s cross just evaded those in the middle.
Clark was called into action again after 55 minutes as she pushed away a well-struck free-kick, before Boddy saw an effort saved at the other end less than a minute later.
City’s positive start to the half would yield no reward however, as the hosts doubled their advantage through Skeels as she headed home a cross from the left.
Chloe Bull found ‘keeper Jessica Gray standing in her way twice in the final half-hour, with the Charlton stopper getting down well to gather her header before pulling off a brilliant save to push the midfielder’s dipping effort on to the woodwork.
The visitors would finally break through in stoppage-time as Harrison directed debutant Mari Ward’s cross home, but it was too late to save the Robins.
» This report first appeared on www. bcfc.co.uk.