Brighton were 4-2 winners over Yeovil, Birmingham also scored four against Oxford, while Liverpool hit Sheffield FC for six in the opening games of the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup.
Wednesday 11th October
FA WSL CONTINENTAL TYRES CUP
GROUP 1 NORTH – Liverpool 6-0 Sheffield FC (Att: 352)
GROUP 2 NORTH – Birmingham City 4-0 Oxford United (Att: 445)
GROUP 2 SOUTH – Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 Yeovil Town
Natkiel and Umotong share spoils in Brighton win
There were braces by Ini Umotong and Kate Natkiel as Brighton won their first ever Conti Cup game against a much-changed Yeovil side.
Umotong headed a Fliss Gibbons cross against the crossbar before nodding in from a Sophie Perry corner.
The hosts struck twice more in quick succession before the break, as Umotong rounded Laura O’Sullivan to score her second and Natkiel slotted home to make it 3-0.
Natkiel also completed a brace, a long-range effort flying in off the woodwork in the 70th minute.
Yeovil got some consolation in added time, with Paige Sawyer and substitute Kaleigh Green pulling two goals back.
Liverpool hit six as Bonner reaches century
Liverpool’s 6-0 defeat of Sheffield FC saw Caroline Weir score twice and Gemma Bonner celebrate her 100th appearance for the Reds.
Weir turned in Alex Greenwood’s long pass on 10 minutes, the latter then seeing her free-kick hit the post.
Danielle Gibbons made a fine point blank save to deny Weir but just short of the half-hour she fumbled a shot from the Scottish international over the line.
On 52 minutes, Greenwood’s cross was deflected into her own net by Ellie Gilliatt, with Sophie Ingle then thumping in a header from a cross by Weir.
In the last 10 minutes, Beth England sent sub Ali Johnson away to score before herself finding the net for the first time in a Liverpool shirt.
Birmingham bag two either side of Oxford dismissal
Birmingham City added to a two-goal advantage over Oxford, after United had Hannah Short dismissed on 62 minutes.
U’s ‘keeper Claire Skinner had done well to deny Andrine Hegerberg but the Blues were in front by the interval, as Freda Ayisi back-heeled the ball into the net, after Marisa Ewers helped on a corner from Emma Follis.
Ann Katrin Berger kept City ahead when blocking out Chloe Chivers and they doubled their lead when Rachel Williams cut the ball back for Quinn to finish.
Williams saw her header from Hegerberg’s cross hit the underside of the bar before she was brought down by Hannah Short, which resulted in a red card.
City made their numerical advantage pay with a couple of late goals; Hayley Ladd nodding in a Hegerberg corner and Charlie Wellings rounding off the scoring.
Pictured top – Seagulls celebrate (Photo: Geoff Penn / brightonandhovealbion.com)
