Bristol City WFC

Bristol City continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday.  Shania Hayles scored twice before Abi Harrison added their third.  Mia Enderby got a consolation goal for the home side in second half stoppage time.

Ella Powell had the first opportunity of the match for the visitors but she shot over in the 4th minute.  It was a fairly quiet start to the match with chances few and far between.  Harrison saw a low cross cleared by a defender in the 15th minute, and Jodie Hutton shot wide for City five minutes later.  Harrison then saw her cross go just wide.

Courtney Sweetman-Kirk had the hosts first effort in the 25th minute but her shot was saved by Fran Bentley.  At the other end a minute later, Ffion Morgan shot from 25 yards was kept out by Bethan Davies.

Bentley pushed away a cross from Bex Rayner in the 34th minute, and seconds later saved a shot from Charlotte Newsham.

Bristol City opened the scoring in the 40th minute.  Hayles picked the ball up near the touchline midway inside the half, then ran past a couple of defenders before finishing low into the net.

The away side made it 2-0 in the 48th minute.  A cross from the right looped into the air off a combination of Hayles and goalkeeper and the City forward finished from close range to score her second of the match.

Harrison scored The Robins third goal in the 54th minute.  A ball was played over the top by Aimee Palmer which the Scottish international got onto before producing a nice finish into the corner of the net.

Emily Syme had a chance to make it 4-0 shortly after but shot over after a scramble.  Sheffield United made loud appeals for a back pass in the 59th minute but nothing was given. Rayner saw her dipping cross caught on the line by Bentley a minute later.  Morgan’s shot from the edge of the area for City was saved in the 65th minute.

Bentley made a save low down by the post to stop a Grace Riglar header from a free kick.  She made an even better save in the 73rd minute when she kept out a deflection off Naomi Layzell from Sweetman-Kirk’s cross.

The home side were finishing the match well and had a few opportunities in the final ten minutes. Enderby saw a low shot from the edge of the area saved, and in the 85th minute, Alethea Paul dragged a long range shot wide.

Sheffield United did find the net in the first minute of stoppage time when Enderby picked the ball up midway inside the half, ran past one challenged and finished into the corner of the net from about 12 yards.

The win sees Bristol City move three points clear of London City Lionesses and Charlton Athletic after the weekend’s games.  Sheffield United drop down to sixth place in the league.  Sheffield United are at home to Southampton on Sunday whilst Bristol City are also at home to Crystal Palace on the same day.

Line ups

Sheffield United: Davies, Newsham, Hartley, Riglar, Paul, Lord-Mears, Cusack, Haywood (E. Wilson 53’), Sweetman-Kirk (c) (Enderby 78’), Rayner, Walters (Muir 66’)

Unused substitutes: N. Wilson, Wilcock, Docherty, Francis-Jones, Brown, Miller

Goal – Enderby 90’+1

Booked – Cusack 87’

Bristol City: Bentley, Cataldo, Layzell, Mustaki, Powell, Syme, Palmer (c) (J. Bull 79’), Hutton (Bruce 69’), Morgan, Harrison (Woolley 69’), Hayles (C. Bull 57’)

Unused substitutes: Clarke, Wilde, Teisar

Goals – Hayles 40’, 48’, Harrison 54’

Booked – Syme 50’, Palmer 68’

Referee – Sophie Dennington

Attendance – 1192