MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 1, NOTTS COUNTY LADIES 0
Captain Steph Houghton stepped up with a piledriver of a free kick to finally beat Megan Walsh in the last minute of stoppage time in Manchester City Women’s first game of the Super League season.
City were the superior team for much of this game but seemed set to rue missed chances and great goal line saves including a Toni Duggan penalty that was saved by Megan Walsh and a Kosovare Asllani goal that was ruled out for offside.
Notts County couldn’t capitalise on an early penalty by Jess Clarke who put her spot kick wide and were restricted to half chances and relied on movement up front by veteran loan signing Rachel Yankey and some good defensive stops by Dani Buet.
Goals by subs Georgia Stanway and Nikita Parris had sealed a 2-0 win in the Women’s FA Cup at Liverpool last Saturday and 1195 spectators saw City’s opening league match tonight.
There was only one chance for Nick Cushing’s side from that game, with Parris starting in place of the injured Izzy Christiansen.
The Blues dominated early proceedings with half a dozen corners in as many minutes but could have been 1-0 down after conceding an 10th minute penalty as after Steph Houghton’s lunge on Jess Clarke.
Clarke picked herself up but her penalty was sent wide of Karen Bardsley’s goal with the England ‘keeper having guessed incorrectly and dived the wrong way.
Notts County then had to survive a barrage of pressure from City who saw chances by Parris and Jane Ross go begging, including a series of goal line clearances to prevent City from taking the lead.
City were then handed a golden chance to earn that lead when Dani Buet tripped Parris as she tried to race into the penalty area.
Toni Duggan’s penalty was on target but Megan Walsh guess correctly and made a comfortable save low to her left.
New City signing Kosovare Asllani’s radar was off target for much of the half and she was flagged offside when racing in to tuck away Duggan’s cross late in the first half while Duggan herself saw another effort cleared off the line before the break.
City were disrupted by a couple of stoppages for injuries as the second half got underway and they were less dominant although Ross’ movement continued to trouble the Notts County defence and Houghton’s free kick was directly into the arms of Walsh while Jill Scott volleyed a chance over from a corner routine.
With the chilly night closing in around the Manchester City Football Academy both sides tired and City saw chances for Scott and Duggan go wide and Duggan’s attempted 25-yard blockbuster which was high and wide with five minutes to go seemed to sum up City’s night before Houghton stepped up and earned the win that their performance deserved.