I highlighted the make up of this years Continental Tyres Cup competition in my previous blog post. The 18 FAWSL teams have been divided into 3 groups of six teams each playing the other's in their group once with the top two from each group plus the 2 best placed third placed teams going into the quarter finals due to take place in September.
The action begins with the Group Three clash between FAWSL 2 side Aston Villa Ladies and FAWSL 1 side Bristol Academy Women. With their now being a quarter final in this years competition their is more chance for a side from the 2nd tier of the FAWSL to qualify for the knock out stages a defeat early on in the group a set back but not disastrous in terms of progression.
Aston Villa Ladies have a good sized and young squad have lost players through injury and moving on as well as call ups to the England U19s Women's squad over in Israel competing in the Euros. Have resigned midfielder Abbeyleigh Stringer after a short spell at neighbours Birmingham City Ladies over the mid season break. Are doing well in the league currently in 4th place, boss Joe Hunt making a few changes as his side welcomed FAWSL 1's bottom club to Sutton Coldfield FC just 48 hours after suffering a 2-1 away defeat on the road at London Bees on Sunday.
Bristol Academy Women travel to Sutton Coldfield FC having had a torrid start to the 2015 season after losing a host of their star players over the winter before the season started then a poor start saw the departure of manager Dave Edmondson too. The club was quick to bring in a new manager Willie Kirk from Scotland and he has been busy over the summer break recruiting new faces to bolster the clubs hopes of avoiding the drop to FAWSL 2.
Without a win all season the Continental Tyres Cup as I said in my preview yesterday could either be a hindrance or welcome distraction a chance to get that much sort after victory and rebuild players confidence and hopefully have something to take back into the league campaign. Is a much changed starting line up for Bristol Academy Women to the last time I saw them play think I actually recognised more of their supporters who had travelled up to watch them play tonight.
I'm not 100% fit yet as this is the 1st time I've been to Sutton Coldfield FC and not had a cheeseburger. After a hot day approaching kick off the evening was a lot cooler with a few dark clouds keeping the sun at bay over the 3G playing surface as the 2 teams came out onto the pitch to get this years Continental Tyres Cup started.
Aston Villa Ladies starting XI - Jess Myers, Maddy Cusack, Emily Owen, Laura Cooper, Lauren Haynes, Sherry McCue (C), Katy Moran, Abbeyleigh Stringer, Bethan Merrick, Amy West & Abigail Cottam.
subs - Chloe Beattie, Hannah George, Georgia Griffiths, Olivia Fergusson, Katie Wilkinson, Alicia Robinson & Mollie Rouse.
Bristol Academy Women starting XI - Mary Earps, Lauren Townsend, Hannah Short, Marija Brummel, Tatiana Pinto, Caroline Weir, Sophie Ingle (C), Hayley Ladd, Nadia Lawrence, Christie Murray & Sharla Passariello.
subs - Angharad James, Lauren Dykes, Frankie Brown, Georgia Evans, Hannah Reid, Evdokia Popadinova & Jade Boho-Sayo.
Both sides had rested a few a of their big name players for the match but had them available on the subs bench if required as Bristol Academy in their blue away strip kicked off the 1st half against Aston Villa Ladies lined up in their claret and blue strip.
It's the visitors getting hold of the ball early on that are taking the game to Aston Villa, Christie Murray coming in from the left hand side closes down goalkeeper Jess Myers as the ball is laid back to her putting her under pressure she manages to get the ball cleared before Murray can steal the ball from her and take it beyond into the empty net. That though has set the tone for the opening 10 minutes of the match with Bristol dominating
possession working hard to win the ball back in Aston Villa's half and push players on.
In the middle of the park new signing Caroline Weir from Arsenal Ladies is covering a lot of ground winning the ball and bringing it forwards having good support from captain Sophie Ingle beside her and Nadia Lawrence on the right and Murray left making themselves available for the pass. Given the ball Lawrence sends in a diagonal ball from the right into the area Murray is looking to burst into the box get to it as it bounces up inside the six yard box, Myers though keeps her eye on the ball doesn't let Murray distract her as she claims the ball.
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| Bristol Academy's Caroline Weir |
Ingle has pushed on to the edge of the area as Bristol push Aston Villa back receiving the ball she has a strike on goal on 10 minutes blazes the effort over the bar. Ingle then tries to send a ball from the right into the centre along the 18 yard line looking for Sharla Passariello the striker is prevented a goal scoring chance as Aston Villa captain Sherry McCue makes a timely interception.
Bristol are retaining possession even if this means they are playing the ball back to their goalkeeper Mary Earps, comfortable with the ball at her feet and a vocal goalkeeper she is confident as she distributes the ball forwards to her team mates. Weir has the ball in the middle drives on before taking on a shot a low effort from 25 yards out is pulled wide of the post. For all the early possession though Bristol are putting very few balls into the area for players to attack. Up front for Aston Villa, Abigail Cottam is working hard to make herself available but seeing very little of the ball.
Both Bristol full backs are able to go forwards support the attack particularly Lauren Townsend on the left as Murray looks to turn inside. Marija Brummel brings the ball forwards from the back for Bristol playing the ball into Ingle ahead of her she exchanges it with Murray centre as she runs across her taking the ball to the edge of the area Murray lines up the shot looping up it is dipping over Myers in goal but doesn't come down enough to sneak under the bar, over. Murray with another chance moments later the cross coming into her inside the D from the right, Myers races towards her to close her down, she gets her shot past her is off target however and goes wide of the goal.
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| Bristol Academy's Lauren Townsend attacking up the left flank |
GOAL! All the Bristol pressure tells as they take the lead through a superb strike from distance from Caroline Weir to open her Bristol account out of nothing as Myers kicks the ball out of goal into the middle of the pitch, Weir 45 yards out hits it sending it back in towards goal, nothing Myers can do as the ball sails over her and into the back of the net 0-1 nearly half an hour played.
Aston Villa haven't had much time on the ball let alone held onto it inside the Bristol half their most likely avenue to scoring a goal to get themselves back into the match is to chase down Earps as Bristol opt for the back pass to retain possession. Bethan Merrick is fouled 30 yards out as she attempts to take the game to Bristol. Merrick herself takes the free kick gets the effort on target Earps though shuffles across her line and comfortable catches the ball.
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| Maddy Cusack on the ball for Aston Villa Ladies |
Amy West has the ball on the left of the Aston Villa attack, has Abbeyleigh Stringer looking to break from midfield making a run for her between the Bristol centre backs plays her in takes on the shot early edge of the area pulls the effort wide of the post. Aston Villa win a late corner their 1st of the match put in from the left Bristol clear to the edge of the area falls to Merrick her strike is wide of target.
Half time Aston Villa Ladies 0-1 Bristol Academy Women.
Bristol have dominated play in the 1st half their movement on and off the ball keeping Aston Villa penned in their own half for long periods for all of that though it took a great strike from distance to break the dead lock and only 1-0 down Aston Villa were far from out of the match.
Kicking off the 2nd half Aston Villa have made 2 changes taking of Amy West and Abbeyleigh Stringer bringing on Katie Wilkinson in attack and Alicia Robinson in midfield. Is a better start to the 2nd half are getting hold of the ball taking the game to Bristol. Earps is called into action to make a fantastic save with Wilkinson out on the right putting in a great cross looking for Merrick racing in towards the far post on the left, Earps throws herself left across her goal line saving from close range as Merrick meets the cross the ball deflected behind for a corner.
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| Bethan Merrick behind Bristol Academy's Hayley Ladd |
Aston Villa continue to pressurise the Bristol defence early in the 2nd half this time from a free kick played into the area from wide on the right over the halfway line drops for Merrick making the run inside the box she pulls the trigger, Earps makes another important save the ball out for another corner. The corner is played out to the edge of the area looking for defender Emily Owen up from the back she hits the ball at goal the attempt is blocked at close range spinning away for a throw.
The game has opened up as Bristol counter attack through Weir as she brings the ball forwards left of the area she takes on the shot gets plenty behind the low strike looking to go across Myers the keeper is down smartly throwing out a glove to make the save sending the ball wide and out for a corner. The corner played into the area is only half cleared comes to Bristol's Lawrence outside the area, has a strike at goal puts it over the bar.
Lawrence is fouled right on the edge of the area to the left of goal, it's Weir and Murray over the ball, Weir with the dummy before Murray smashes the ball against the wall, the rebound coming back to Weir she hits it goal wards Myers makes a very good save.
GOAL! Bristol double their advantage from a counter attack as Aston Villa look to push on find the leveller the visitors break Lawrence coming in from the right is the furthest forwards as the pass into her sends her clear of the Aston Villa defence taking the ball into the area she holds off a challenge and sends the ball past Myers into the net beyond 0-2 just under an hour played.
Aston Villa make their final substitution with Abigail Cottam leaving the field for Olivia Fergusson. Not long after and it's Bristol's turn to ring the changes making a triple substitution goal scorer Lawrence, defender Hannah Short and Passariello coming off with Angharad James, Evdokia Popadinov and Jade Boho-Sayo coming on. Is far more open now as Aston Villa need to push players on looking to find a way back into the game Bristol are happy to counter attack get the ball into the right channel for Boho-Sayo to chase the new arrival getting a good cross into the box finding Murray on the middle of goal she can't get it down and turn a strike towards goal before Aston Villa close her down.
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| Bristol Academy's Hannah Short |
A few tempers are getting frayed on the pitch not helped by a wild lunging tackle from Aston Villa's Katy Moran on Weir in the middle, Moran though comes off worst needs treatment before getting back to her feet and hobbling to the sidelines having collected a yellow card. Boho-Sayo looks to be full of power and pace up front for Bristol peeling off the defence she is played in put through on goal closing down Myers in goal the keeper keeps composed stays on her feet makes a very good save with her feet as the striker shoots from just inside the box.
GOAL! Boho-Sayo adds a 3rd goal for Bristol as she bursts into the area doing great follow up work as Weir who has had an impressive match takes on another shot from outside the box left of the area 25 yards out, Myers initially does well throwing herself towards the ball making the save to her left the ball though pops up to her right Boho-Sayo has capitalised and is there to meet the ball turn it into the net 0-3 10 minutes left to play.
GOAL! Boho-Sayo has come on and make quite an impact gets her 2nd goal of the match barely three minutes later as Aston Villa are caught defending high up the pitch the ball is lost and put into the path of Boho-Sayo a race towards goal 30 yards out she takes on the early shot Myers dives across her six yard box is beaten though the ball striking the bottom of the post and going in 0-4.
Late hope for a consolation goal for Aston Villa as they win a corner put into the box from the right the ball is cleared out to the left Boho-Sayo back defending brings down Wilkinson inside the area as she attempts to go beyond her the referee points to the spot. It's Wilkinson to take the penalty gets plenty behind the ball, Earps though guesses right and throwing herself to the left of her goal makes the save has team mates racing in to close Wilkinson down as she tries to meet the rebound the ball squirms out to the right, Earps scrambles across her goal line gets hurt making the blocking save as an Aston Villa player attempts to turn it home.
Late drama as McCue and Evdokia Papadinova clash the Aston Villa captain lucky not to be carded as she loses her cool the referee letting her team mates sort her out as the final whistle blows and Bristol Academy Women win their opening Continental Tyres Cup group match 4-0 with a confidence boosting performance.
Were the dominant team for much of the 90 minutes having had a narrow lead at half time went on to add a further 3 goals as the game opened up 2nd half, Mary Earps in the goal was determined to keep a clean sheet making some vital saves during the match.
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