Heath fires up United
RELIEVED Casey Stoney praised the character of her battling Manchester United team as they stood up to their title-credentials taking a real test.
Boss Stoney admitted she got her tactics wrong as goals from England international Chloe Kelly and Laura Coombs saw City dominate the first half to lead 2-0 at the break.
But Stoney’s gritty Reds valiantly turned the contest on its head after half-time to avoid derby-day embarrassment and stay top of the Women’s Super League.
United States international Tobin Heath pulled a goal back 10 minutes after the restart with a stunning strike.
Substitute Kirsty Hanson then equalised with just 16 minutes remaining to complete a courageous comeback.
And substitute Lucy Staniforth came within a whisker of winning it for United in the final minute when her header was cleared off the line.
Stoney admitted: “I take full responsibility for the first half.
“We got the press wrong and I had to change that because they picked us off.
“But I’m really impressed with how they came out in the second half.
“I said to them that I’m more proud of them because we were 2-0 down and the mentality shifted, because we might have folded last year.” And there was special praise for
Heath and her thunderbolt which sparked the Reds into life.
Stoney, whose side stay eight points clear of their Manchester neighbours, added: “It was a simply unbelievable finish. It was world class, and that’s why we sign these players.”
City boss Gareth Taylor admitted his team missed a trick having sparkled in the opening half.
Taylor said: “We were so in control in the first half, we should have been out of sight. The girls will learn a lot – there’s lessons to be learnt.
“I wouldn’t say that we took our foot off the gas, but we could have gone within two points of them.
“We’ll have to dust ourselves down because today was disappointing.”
Winger Kelly stabbed home from close range after just eight minutes.
After a string of missed chances, Coombs then doubled the lead in injury time with her third goal in three games.
The midfielder’s thunderous drive was just reward for the visitors’ breathless intensity.
But Heath pulled the United back into the contest before Scottish international Hanson sealed a spirited comeback.
She fired home from close range to stretch United’s unbeaten run to seven matches.
MAN UTD: Earps 6; Galton 6, M Turner 6, A Turner 6, Batlle 6; Heath 8 (Staniforth 71, 5), Groenen 6, Ladd 6, Sigsworth 5 (Hanson 46, 7); Press 6 (James 55, 5), Toone 7.
Subs not used: Ramsey, Okvist, Zelem, Ross. MAN CITY: Roebuck 6; Stokes 6, Greenwood 7, Houghton 7, Bronze 6; Stanway 7 (Park 87, 3), Coombs 7 (Weir 85, 4), Walsh 6, Kelly 7; White 6 (Beckie 76, 5), Mewis 6.
Subs not used: Bardsley, Scott, Bonner, Morgan, Lavelle.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH:
Tobin Heath – the United States international scored, and inspired a fine fightback. REFEREE: Amy Fearn 7.
@andrewrobertso5 “Struggling to find the words right now but I hope 5million people are smiling back home right now! The lads gave absolutely everything tonight, I could not be prouder of every single one of them! Oh and … WE ARE GOING TO THE EUROS”