FAWSL 1 SPRING SERIES
Wednesday 3rd May
Manchester City 1-1 Birmingham City
Reading 0-4 Chelsea (Att: 797)
Yeovil Town 2-3 Bristol City (Att: 312)
Chelsea’s perfect start to the WSL Spring Series continued as they eased to a 4-0 victory against Reading at Adams Park.
A dominant first half display from the visitors saw them rattle the crossbar in the opening exchanges, before Karen Carney opened the scoring with a confident header on 32 minutes.
Ramona Bachmann looked to add to the Blue’s tally but saw herself denied by a well executed Harriet Scott tackle and a save from keeper Mary Earps.
Eni Aluko and Karen Carney both had chances to put the game to bed after the break, but were unable to beat Earps in the Reading goal.
Reading defended valiantly, but were finally breached as Chelsea scored twice in five minutes to seal the win.
Drew Spence showed composure to finish off a well timed pass from Bachmann, sidefooting home from close range.
Just minutes later substitute Ji So-Yun was able to make an immediate impact scoring with an emphatic strike inside the box.
The game was wrapped up nine minutes from time when Hannah Blundell seized upon a Reading defensive error to add Chelsea’s fourth.
Reading were nearly able to force a consolation goal at the death, but were unlucky as Kirsty McGee’s failed to convert her chance as Chelsea moved to the top of FA WSL 1.
Man City’s Lucy Bronze and Birmingham’s Jess Carter
PFA Women’s Player of the Year Lucy Bronze scored her third goal of the season as Manchester City kicked off their Spring Series campaign with a 1-1 draw against FA Cup Final opponents Birmingham City.
Having already netted in the FA Cup and Champions League, Bronze cancelled out Emily Westwood’s first-half goal in a cagey game.
Carli Lloyd could have opened the scoring after just 15 seconds, pouncing on a loose backpass to round Ann-Katrin Berger, but she shot into the side-netting from a tight angle.
Westwood broke the deadlock on 14 minutes, rising highest to head Coral-Jade Haines’ corner beyond Ellie Roebuck.
Kerys Harrop could have doubled the lead on 44 minutes, when Ellie Brazil’s low cross ran through to her at the back post, but she shot wide across goal.
Bronze levelled on 58 minutes though, racing onto Georgia Stanway’s through ball and bursting through two tackles to finish low into the bottom corner.
Lloyd shrugged off three defenders to find Jane Ross on 85 minutes, but Berger saved her low shot.
Lloyd could have won it four minutes later, when Jill Scott crossed to the back post, but Berger again saved well to ensure the spoils were shared.
Nadia Lawrence (Yeovil) and Frankie Brown (Bristol City)
Bristol City sealed a late 3-2 victory in the FA WSL 1 Spring Series over South West rivals Yeovil Town courtesy of an own goal.
The visitors took the lead at the Viridor Stadium in Taunton from the penalty spot after just five minutes when Lucy Quinn brought down Claire Emslie – the striker picking herself up to convert.
Quinn made amends in the 27th minute when her left-footed cross from deep was flicked deftly over goalkeeper Caitlin Leach by the head of Annie Heatherson.
Early in the second half Yeovil keeper Megan Walsh, signed on the morning of the match, was called into action twice in quick succession, first to push an Emslie free-kick onto the bar and then to save a well struck Lily Woodham shot.
The Lady Glovers then went ahead for the first time on 70 minutes as a quick counter gave Sarah Wiltshire an opportunity from 25 yards, who looped her half-volley over Leach.
That lead lasted just three minutes, however, as Emslie broke down the right and crossed it back for Chloe Arthur to turn it low into the bottom corner.
It was Arthur who then forced the winner in the 88th minute, her shot cannoning off defender Nicola Cousins and into the back of her own net.
Fixture for Thursday 4th May:
Arsenal v Liverpool (Barnet FC, 7.30)
Pictured top – Maren Mjelde of Chelsea pressures Reading’s Lauren Bruton
Words – fawsl.com / Photos – The FA via Getty Images
