Albion Women slump in second half

BURTON Albion Women hit a season’s low as they were beaten 4-1 at home by Bedworth United on Sunday.

Bedworth had not previously taken a point in FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands and the Brewers had seen them off 5-2 on their own patch in the cup earlier in the season.

Burton took the lead in the rematch – but Danni Oxley went on to score at both ends as Bedworth fought back.

Kirsty Farnsworth, the striker who caused Burton problems in the cup, was Bedworth’s danger woman again and she had a shot well saved by Alice Langstone early in the game.

Oxley was unfortunate to see a low shot blocked following good work by Ella Ritchie to pick her out in the box.

But she opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Emmalee Hornsby did well down the right and hit a precise ball to the back post, where Oxley netted her third goal in two games with a header past Emma Dell.

Chances were few and far between in the first half after that but, in the 40th minute, a Bedworth free kick was swung into the box and Oxley’s attempted clearance was miscued into the net to present the visitors with an equaliser.

Ritchie miscued a shot from the edge of the box and Oxley was inches away with a dipping free kick as, with a string of stoppages, the first half stretched to 57 minutes.

It all went wrong for Burton after the break.

Bedworth took the lead when Beth Naqwi’s trip on Sophie Wilson allowed Holly Webb to score from the penalty spot.

Emily Gillott found space down the right, but her cross evaded the awaiting Oxley and was cleared by Leonna McCook.

Burton continued to press but could not find the final pass.

Ritchie did superbly to skip past three challenges and outpace the Bedworth defence but her ball to Oxley was brilliantly tipped away from danger by Dell.

Bedworth twice almost caught Burton out on the break and began to repel the Burton attacks with more ease.

The visitor had a good chance from a free kick, which Langstone had to turn over the bar – and they scored a third goal from the resulting corner.

In a goalmouth scramble, the referee saw that Ciara Fray had handled the ball on the goalline, awarding a penalty and sending off the Burton defender.

Webb stepped up again and found the same corner as she had with her first penalty.

The game was up for the Brewers and Farnsworth had the last say, running across the edge of the box before firing a low shot under Langstone in stoppage time.

Burton have a free weekend before returning to Rocester to take on Mansfield Town in the third qualifying round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup on

Sunday, October 24

(2pm).