Match Report
FAWC: Bristol City v Liverpool
A huge 4-2 victory for Liverpool means the Reds secure promotion to the Women's Super League!
Hana Basir
4 April 2022
The top two in the Championship played each other at Ashton Gate on Sunday with Liverpool knowing that if they avoided defeat then they will be crowned champions and with it promotion to the WSL.
Liverpool started brightly and Leanne Kiernan had the first chance in the 4th minute when her shot from the edge of the penalty area was easily saved. A Megan Campbell long throw was headed just over by Kiernan in the 8th minute.
Liverpool did take the lead in the 13th minute when another long throw from Campbell bounced around in the penalty area before falling to Niamh Fahey who scored from about 6 yards out.
Bristol City equalised straight away when Aggie Beever-Jones scored from an angle with the ball looping over the Liverpool goalkeeper and into the net.
Liverpool went close to regaining the lead in the 20th minute when Rachel Furness smashed a shot just wide. Campbell then saw her free kick saved.
Bristol City had a chance at the other end five minutes later when Beever-Jones saw her low shot saved by the legs of Rachael Laws with Liverpool then being stopped by a good tackle as they broke quickly. Furness had another effort for Liverpool that went over.
Liverpool went back ahead in the 39th minute when Jasmine Matthews scored against her former club from inside the area after a free kick had not been cleared.
Liverpool saw another opportunity go high and wide in first half injury time as they went into the break ahead.
It was Liverpool who had the first efforts in the second half with Furness seeing her shot tipped over by Fran Bentley then they saw another shot go wide.
A misplaced pass from Liverpool was picked up by Abi Harrison but Laws rushed out and gathered as Bristol City went looking for an equaliser.
It was Liverpool though who scored the next goal when in the 59th minute, a Campbell long throw was flicked on and finished from close range by Katie Stengel to make it 3-1.
In the 69th minute, Bristol City got a goal back when Harrison’s shot found the corner of the net from about 12 yards for her 15th league goal of the season.
It was 4-2 in the 79th minute when Missy Bo Kearns finished a low cross from Stengel from close range.
Liverpool went looking for more goals and in the 86th minute, Carla Humphrey rounded the Bristol City goalie but saw her shot blocked. From the resulting corner Jade Bailey headed over.
In injury time, Liverpool saw a shot go over and Bristol City had the final opportunity of the afternoon when a long range effort from Jasmine Bull was tipped over.
As the final whistle went, Liverpool started the celebrations on the pitch having secured the title and promotion back to the WSL after two seasons away. All of this in front of a Bristol City and Championship record attendance of 5.752.
Teams:
Bristol City: Bentley, Cataldo (J. Bull 59’), Layzell, Aspin (Wilde 83’), Murray, Allen (Powell 59’), Davies, Beever-Jones, C.Bull, Morgan, Harrison
Unused substitutes: Whitehouse, Kuyken, Jhamat, Collis, Cook, Woolley
Goals – Beever-Jones 14’, Harrison 69’
Booked – Wilde
Liverpool: Laws, Roberts, Fahey, Matthews, Campbell (Wardlaw 67’), Hinds, Holland (Kearns 73’), Furness (Bailey 84’), Lawley (Humphrey 84’), Stengel, Kiernan (Daniels 67’)
Unused substitutes: Clarke, Hodson, Moore, Silcock
Goals – Fahey 13’, Matthews 39’, Stengel 59’, Kearns 79’
Referee – Lisa Benn
Attendance – 5,752