Match Report - Aston Villa Ladies v Millwall Lionesses FAWSL 2

    An over night stop in Warrington had done little to improve the weather it was still pretty wet and miserable as I set off down the M6 for the 2nd match of my latest women's footballing weekender. The destination Coles Lane in Sutton Coldfield the home venue of Aston Villa Ladies, their opponents in this FAWSL league 2 encounter Millwall Lionesses.

   Now I've covered Aston Villa Ladies on the blog before and each time they have lost albeit by higher league placed opposition on 2 occassions. This is the 1st time I have watched them play in the league. After 4 games played however the club is yet to register a victory having played 4 picking up just 2pts, not the start they would have wanted.

   Millwall Lionesses in contrast have started the season well, are undefeated after 4 games played with 2 wins and 2 draws. Have over the close season signed some experienced players such as Kylie Davies & Sarah Quantrill aswell as bringing in Naomi Cole a very talented player and one to look out for. Trying to get round to seeing all the WSL 2 teams play this season and this was my 1st opportunity to take a look at Millwall.

   Aston Villa Ladies starting XI - Caitlin Leach, Hayley Crackle, Chloe Jones, Maisie Baker, Jade Richards, Sherry McCue (C), Olivia Furgusson, Katy Moran, Natasha Baptiste, Sarah Mayling & Alicia Robinson

   Millwall Lionesses starting XI - Sarah Quantrill, Angela Kiobel, Frankie Strugnell, Dionne Lennon (C), Naomi Cole, Kylie Davies, Lily Agg, Leeta Rutherford, Danielle Puddefoot, Emma Plewa & Cherelle Albert

    Rain wouldn't be a problem once again however as the pitch at Sutton Coldfield is artifical, it had though thankfully stopped by the time I arrived and blue skies were peeking through as Millwall lined up in white shirts and navy shorts & socks got the game underway against Aston Villa in their claret and blue shirts & socks with white shorts.

   It was a tentative opening with the ball travelling quickly from one end of the pitch to the other with neither side getting hold of it for very long. Aston Villa have the 1st effort at goal an good cross in from Olivia Fergusson on the right that Millwall goalkeeper Sarah Quantrill takes cleanly at her near post.

    Millwall are looking to play the ball through to their attackers quickly in the centre Danielle Puddefoot is almost played in has a yard on her marker, Jade Richards, however the central defender does well to track back and steal the ball from Puddefoot back to her goalkeeper Caitlin Leach before she can unleash a shot.

   Aston Villa have a free kick that is played high into the box by Chloe Jones, striker Natasha Baptiste is in the centre gets her head to it before Quantrill can claim the ball, but puts her effort wide.

     Richards plays a long ball forwards that Baptiste is able to run onto coming in from the right closes in on the box and has a strike for goal the ball flying over the bar. In the middle Aston Villa's Sherry McCue gets hold of the ball plays it into Baptiste her effort is blocked going behind for a corner. The resulting set piece is set over the bar.

    Millwall spring the offside trap Leeta Rutherford runs with the ball into the box, Jade Richards though comes back strongly to get a foot in to block loops up is heading for the back of the net, so easily an own goal but for Leach who raises an instinctive hand to pluck it down to safety.

    At the other end Aston Villa working the ball down the right send in another good croos for Baptiste to get her head onto but once again the attempt is put wide of goal.

   Millwall are forced into a change as Cherelle Albert has to come off, her replacement Lillie Fenlon-Billson.

   Aston Villa take the lead another well delivered cross put in from the right this time Baptiste central to goal gets a good head on it and sends it flying over Quantrill and into the back of the net 1-0.

    Millwall try to counter through Danielle Puddefoot, the ball is laid back into her path by Emma Plewa, left of goal Puddefoot's effort lacks power and is comfortably scooped up by Leach. Puddefoot has another attempt shortly after a long range effort from 30 yards that goes wide.

    Aston Villa have a corner comes into the far post Millwall's Lily Agg heads clear but only into the path of Alicia Robinson who tries to tee up a shot outside the box curling back in but too high.

                          Half-time Aston Villa Ladies 1-0 Millwall Lionesses

    It's Aston Villa to kick off the 2nd half, make a change at half time bringing on Maddy Cusack for Katy Moran, start brightly push Millwall back the vistors soak it up and counter through Lily Agg, the midfielder has a drive with the ball coming in from the left gets in a strike the ball is deflected off a Aston Villa defender for a corner which the home side clears.

    With Fenlon-Billson on the field it naturally gets a little spicy a few challenges are flying in from both teams. McCue gives a free kick away challenging Fenlon-Billson. 25 yards out Fenlon-Billson takes smashes it against the wall the ball spins out left to the unmarked Naomi Cole she has a go but sends her long range effort wide.

    Two changes then 1st the home side bring on Beth Merrick for Alicia Robinson, then Millwall replace Angela Kiobel with Abbie Igbovboa. Millwall have a great chance to equalise as Fenlon-Billson puts in a cross on the right into Agg at the near post she shifts the ball between her feet well losing her marker shoots, but her close range shot is straight at Leach.

   Aston Villa with a good move on the right Fergusson plays the ball into the path of Hayley Crackle she bursts to the by line puts in a fierce cross, Baptiste meets it, the effort blocked at close quarters inside the six yard box Millwall clear.

   Aston Villa have a player fouled out wide on the left the ball is played in perfectly from Sarah Mayling and there is defender Jade Richards to meet it with her head Quantill has no chance to save as the home side double there lead 2-0.

   Millwall have there own free kick out wide on the right Naomi Cole to play the ball in it his headed clear comes out to the left Fenlon-Billson has a shot that comes back across Aston Villa's goal Leach is quick to come out and catch.

    Millwall make their final change Lilli Maple coming on for Danielle Puddefoot as Aston Villa's Beth Merrick is down needing treatement she can't continue and is replaced by Emma Chatterton.

    Aston Villa have a chance Baptiste is almost caught by surprise at springing the offside trap is through on goal but breaking into the box blazes her shot over.

   Into injury time Millwall have one last chance to pull a goal back a long free kick that is delivered to the far post at the waiting Agg, the midfield cannot make clean enough contact with the ball and her effort goes wide. Full time and Aston Villa Ladies win 2-0 their 1st victory in WSL 2 and move onto 5pts going into the break, a strong solid performance. Millwall remain on 8pts in 3rd place in the table.

   A full programme of matches in WSL 2 today in the other games Doncaster Rovers Belles remain top after securing a 2-1 victory away to Yeovil Town Ladies. Sunderland Ladies came back from 2-0 down to win 2-4 away to Watford Ladies to keep pace with Doncaster at the top. An away win too for Durham Women at London Bees their 1st vicotry and points in the league and lastly no one is pointless going into the break as Oxford secured their 1st point with a 2-2 draw at home to Reading FC Women.