Ryan Asman

Brighton beat Everton 3-2 on Wednesday evening at the Broadfield Stadium to claim three points that moved them off the bottom of the Women’s Super League (WSL) table.  In Melissa Phillips first home game as manager of the Seagulls, Elisabeth Terland scored twice and Katie Robinson scored their other goal.  Katja Snoeijs scored a brace for Everton as they threatened a second half comeback.

Phillips made one change to the Brighton’s starting eleven from Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United with Megan Connolly coming in for Julia Zigiotti.  This was Everton’s first game since the 2nd of April when they beat Tottenham 2-1.  Head coach Brian Sorensen made two changes from that match with Megan Finnigan and Lucy Hope replacing Nathalie Bjorn and Gabby George.

It was a sunny early evening though there was a cool breeze blowing across the ground.  The home side made a good start, and within the first 20 seconds Terland put an effort well over the crossbar.  Robinson’s shot from 25-yards flew wide of the post 5 minutes into the match.  They then broke quickly in the 10th minute but Robinson saw her shot blocked and the ball went out for a throw-in.

Brighton deservedly took the lead in the 12th minute when set piece expert Poppy Pattinson swung in a free kick from the right-hand side that Terland headed into the net.

Everton’s build up was slow at times with Brighton forcing them backwards, though Jess Park had the Toffees first shot at goal in the 19th minute but this was claimed by Lydia Williams.

There was some more good pressing from Brighton that won the ball back and forced a corner.  Veatriki Sarri saw a shot deflected just wide of the post, and Emma Kullberg then had an effort saved.  Geummin Lee saw her dangerous cross pushed away by Brosnan before the ball was cleared in the 33rd minute as the Seagulls continued to be the better side in the first half.

Everton had their best chance of the match so far in the 35th minute when Aurora Galli headed the ball down but sent her low shot straight at Williams.  Katrine Veje then hit a free kick through the wall but this too was comfortably dealt with by Williams.

Brighton made it 2-0 two minutes before half-time.  A fantastic long ball played forward from Megan Connolly found Robinson who from the edge of the area superbly lifted the ball over Brosnan and into the net.

Everton made a triple substitution at half-time and changed to a 3-4-3 formation for the second half.  The Toffees looked a better side during most of the second period after making these changes. 

There was a break in play early in the half when one of the assistant referees had an issue and disappeared for a few minutes.

Photo: Ryan Asman

After that delay, Sarri shot just wide on the hour mark as Brighton looked to increase their lead further.

It was Everton though who scored the next goal in the 63rd minute.  Snoeijs received a pass from Park, run past a few Brighton defenders before shooting low into the corner of the net from 12-yards.

Snoeijs almost equalised for the Toffees in the 73rd minute when she hit the post with a shot after a quick attack involving her and Aggie Beever-Jones.  In the 77th minute, Everton had another chance to equalise when a Nicoline Sorensen cross found Park in the 6-yard box but her volley went over.

The home side made it 3-1 in the 80th minute when Kayleigh Green crossed from the right and Terland finished from 6-yards to score her second of the match.

The two goal advantage didn’t last long as three minutes later Everton scored when Park played in Snoeijs who finished low into the bottom corner.

Brighton had to endure nine minutes of stoppage time, during which Beever-Jones headed over a free-kick for the visitors, before they could celebrate their first league win since early November.

The win sees Brighton move ahead of Leicester and Reading and into tenth place in the WSL.  Everton remain in sixth position.  Both sides are on their travels on Sunday in the league with Brighton away to Liverpool and Everton go to the Select Car Leasing Stadium to take on Reading.

Line ups-

Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2-3-1): L. Williams, Fox, Morse, Kullberg, Pattinson, Connolly (c), Bance (Stefanovic 90’+7), Robinson (Visalli 90’+8), Lee (Carter 71’), Sarri (Green 66’), Terland

Unused substitutes: Walsh, Startup, V. Williams, Stott, Park

Goals – Terland 12’, 80’, Robinson 43’

Booked – Kullberg, Carter, Pattinson

Everton (4-3-3): Brosnan, Hope (Bennison 66’), Sevecke, Finnigan, Veje (Stenevik 45’), Galli (Beever-Jones 45’), Wheeler, Christiansen (c) (Holmgaard 45’), Sorensen (Maier 81’), Snoeijs, Park

Unused substitutes: Ramsey, Clarke

Goals – Snoeijs 63’, 83’

Referee – Lauren Impey

Attendance – 2,456