The league campaign in the WSL 1 & 2 has barely begun, but now it makes way for the opening matches of this years Continental Cup. A new format with the 10 WSL 2 teams entering the competition for the 1st time. 18 clubs divided up into 3 groups of six teams each team playing each other once the 3 group winners and the best runner-up progressing to the semi-finals. Personally I would have liked to have seen a quarter final with 8 teams progressing being group winners, group runners-up and 2 best 3rd placed teams. It is a fledgling competition and will no doubt evolve over coming seasons.
The groups are as follows:-
Group One Group Two Group Three
Arsenal Ladies Sunderland Ladies Bristol Academy
Chelsea Ladies Liverpool Ladies Notts County Ladies
Millwall Lionesses Manchester City Women Birmingham City Ladies
Watford Ladies Everton Ladies Aston Villa Ladies
London Bees Doncaster Rovers Belles Oxford United Women
Reading FC Women Durham Women Yeovil Town Ladies
Tonight saw 3 matches taking place to open the competition in Group Two, Sunderland Ladies v Durham Women & Liverpool Ladies v Everton Ladies. It was the match taking place in Group Three I went to watch Notts County Ladies v Aston Villa Ladies, a 7:30 kick off at Meadow Lane.
Notts County had picked up 4 points from their opening 2 league matches and are sitting at the top of the WSL 1 table along with Chelsea & Liverpool. In contrast Aston Villa Ladiess have picked up just 1 point from their opening 3 WSL 2 matches.
Notts County Ladies starting XI - Carly Telford, Sophie Walton, Sophie Bradley (C), Rachel Corsie, Laura-Jane O'Neill, Desiree Scott, Kaite Hoyle, Emily Roberts, Dunia Susi, Caitlin Friend & Jess Clarke.
Aston Villa Ladies starting XI - Caitlin Leach, Maddy Cusack, Erin Vaughan, Jade Richards, Lauren Walker, Sherry McCue, Sarah Mayling, Katy Moran, Olivia Fergusson, Chloe Jones (C) & Bethan Merrick
It was Notts County Ladies to get the match underway in their purple shirts and socks with yellow trim and yellow shorts against Aston Villa Ladies lined up in their white and claret quarter shirts, claret shorts and claret and purple striped socks. The last thing the WSL 2 underdogs would want to do is concede an early goal. That though is exactly what they did. Jess Clarke playing up top peeling off to the right hand side of the penalty area put in a cross and there was Dunia Susi to nod it into the back of the net at the near post unchallenged 1-0.
The home side are applying most of the early pressure a through ball from Jess Clarke into the path of Caitin Friend is quickly taken by Aston Villa goalkeeper Caitlin Leach. The goalkeeper was at hand moments later to intercept a near post cross delivered from Clarke out on the right.
Aston Villa's Sherry McCue wins posssession of the ball in Notts's half plays it out wide to Maddy Cusack who plays the ball in early however Notts keeper Carly Telford is well placed to collect.
The game has begun at a high tempo Jess Clarke and Dunia Susi looking to play off the shoulders of the Aston Villa defence. One ball is played over the top to Clarke as she looks to break on the edge of the box, the attacker can't bring it down cleanly enough to get a shot away and the Aston Villa defence manage to play it back to Leach.
Laura-Jane O'Neill has space to run into from left back plays the ball through to Caitlin Friend who crosses from the left a good height Aston Villa intercept and head clear. At the other end Olivia Fergusson running with the ball coming from the left has time to tie up a shot, however she slips and the ball rolls through to Telford.
Always a danger on the break this time it is Emily Roberts for Notts County who is in an advanced position receiving the ball runs into the box on the right is pushed wide looks like she is running out of room, going to fall, but somehow she manages to screw the ball back into the danger area for Jess Clarke to have a simple tap in on the edge of the six yard box to make it 2-0
Emily Roberts has two successive efforts on goal the 1st as she is almost played through again this time Leach out quick to smother the shot, the 2nd a long range effort that Leach parries behind for a corner. From that corner Rachel Corsie who had come forwards wins the ball well inside the box plays it out to the waiting Katie Hoyle on the right she plays the ball back in across goal and their is Caitlin Friend to make it 3-0.
Aston Villa attacks are few and far between such is the constant bombardment from Notts County. A long range effort from Erin Vaughan goes close but wide of goal after a rare spell of possession. Sarah Mayling is booked for a rash sliding challenge on Laura-Jane O'Neill.
Caitlin Leach produces a fine save trapping the ball with her leg after Jess Clarke races through on goal once again and has a one on one opportunity. Dunia Susi then finds herself with a one on one opportunity as she makes a run down the left channel Leach rushes out to the edge of the penalty box to try and make a save Susi though plays the ball past her, runs in on goal from the by line and rifles her shot home at the near post beating the defences trying to race back 4-0.
Late in the 1st half Aston Villa win their 1st corner played in from the left Jade Richards heads the ball on to the far post where her team mate receives and heads over.
Half-time Notts County Ladies 4-0 Aston Villa Ladies
Aston Villa get the 2nd half underway having been overwhelmed by their opponents in the 1st half the next 45 minutes are a damage limitation exercise can they keep the scoreline down, maybe nick a goal or two of their own. They start the 2nd half better looking to press Notts when they have the ball Sherry McCue looking to keep tabs on Dunia Susi whenever she's close.
For all that it is Notts County with the 1st real attack as Leach has to palm away a well delivered Clarke cross from the right. Dunia Susi has a run with the ball has time to tee up her shot looks to put it close to Leach who drops well to stop the ball going past her.
Aston Villa make the 1st change bringing on Carly Davies for Bethan Merrick. Amy Turner comes on for Notts County replacing Sophie Walton. Clark and Susi combine once more Clarke getting to the by line and crossing Susi though heads the ball wide of goal.
Notts County think they have scored as Clarke finds herself through on goal charging into the box she shoots looking to go across Leach who manages to get enough on it to push it wide into the path of Susi however who buries it from close range the celebrations are cut short by the linesman's flag.
Sophie Haywood comes on for Katie Hoyle, the New Zealander having had a great game dictating the play in the middle of the park and setting up numerous attacking moves.
Olivia Fergusson is trying to make something happen for Aston Villa makes a couple of good runs with the ball trying to find away through Notts County's defensive lines when she does get a shot in Carly Telford is well positioned to take the ball.
Always a danger on the break with their pace this time Clarke is through on goal coming in from the left into the box she shots beating Leach to make it 5-0.
Olivia Fergusson gets a shot away from the edge of the box Telford though makes a comfortable save. Clarke is replaced by Courtney Sweetman-Kirk late on.
Aston Villa have a great opportuntiy to score, Telford saves from point blank range on the edge of her six yard box the ball comes to Olivia Fergusson, her shot is sent behind the goal. A little ragged from Notts at the death but as the final whistle blows they seal an opening group match 5-0 victory as their fine form at the start of the season continues. Aston Villa will have to pick themselves up just came up against too strong an opponent.
In Group Two it ended goaless between Liverpool Ladies & Everton Ladies and Sunderland Ladies top the group after beating Durham Women 3-0
A fan of the sport doing my small part to help promote the women's game
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