MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 3, BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION 0
Manchester City raced into a 3-0 half time lead at a freezing City Football Academy Stadium before cruising home to stay on top of the Women’s Super League with two goals from Nikita Parris either side of a Gemma Bonner tap-in.
This wasn’t a 7-1 thrashing like their last meeting, in the Continental Cup, but it was enough for City to maintain the pressure on Arsenal by staying top of the WSL with their destiny in their own hands.
Demi Stokes celebrated 100 City appearances before the game but the day ended differently for a former City player on her return to the City Football Acadamy with the Seagulls.
Brighton fielded ex-City goalkeeper Marie Hourihan in goal instead of Sophie Harris who was in goal during their Continental Cup quarter final game.
Hourihan was quickly in action, picking the ball out of the back of her net despite guessing correctly which way ex team mate Nikita Parris would go with her penalty after Lauren Hemp was brought down in the area.
Hourihan was also reaching up after Jill Scott’s 25 yard dipping effort whistled over her head and the bar after 7 minutes.
The Brighton ‘keeper also saved at the feet of Parris while Claire Emslie’s shot was at a nice height for Hourihan too.
Gemma Bonner had a tap-in after 31 minutes when a ball into the area at the end of a short corner routine was dug out by Nikita Parris following a short corner routine which left Hourihan injured on the ground after a clash with the City striker and Brighton defender Fern Whelan.
Marie Hourihan injured and replaced before half time
Hourihan had to be replaced by Sophie Harris after treatment when it became clear she could not stand on her right leg following a collision with her team mate.
The visitors were not without chances of their own.
Ellie Brazil’s earlier header from Felicity Gibbons’ cross was sent straight at Karen Bardsley.
But the game was subdued after the departure of Hourihan, picking up only after Claire Emslie’s corner was firmly headed down by Scott into the Brighton six yard box with Parris stooping to head City into a strong 3-0 lead after 40 minutes.
City tried to extend their lead in the second half – Emslie’s corner was tipped onto her own bar and over by Harris and Caroline Weir’s free kick was headed wide by Bonner.
Ini Umotong had come on as a half time sub for the visitors and she forced a corner off Bardsley with a fierce goal bound shot on the hour mark and tried to make runs without much luck.
City won a free kick on the edge of the D and Houghton sent it just wide while substitute Georgia Stanway forced a diving save from Harris after being invited to shoot from 25 yards out.
Harris saved at the feet of Parris as City continued to press for a fourth goal.
Mel Lawley and Pauline Bremer came on for the last 11 minutes, giving Emslie and Lauren Hemp a rest.
Stanway’s late free kick landed on top of the Brighton goal, but the game had long since been won as City finished with 10 players after Jen Beattie had to go off injured.
GOALS – Man City Women 3, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 0
Man City Women 1, Brighton 0: 3. Nikita Parris slotted in an early penalty inside the left hand post after Lauren Hemp was brought down in the Brighton area.
Man City Women 2, Brighton 0: 31. Gemma Bonner had a tap in from 6 yards out when the ball fell to her after Nikita Parris had dug it out after challenging with Marie Hourihan and Fern Whelan for it.
Man City Women 3, Brighton 0: 40. Claire Emslie’s corner was firmly headed down by Jill Scott into the Brighton six-yard box with Nikita Parris arriving to convert a stooping header for City’s third goal.
MATCH STATS – Man City Women 3, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 0
Man City Women: Bardsley, Bonner, Houghton, Beattie, Stokes, Walsh, Scott, Weir (Stanway 62), Emslie (Lawley 79), Parris, Hemp (Bremer 79)
Man City Women Subs not used: Stenson, Morgan, Park
Goals: Parris 3 pen, 40; Bonner 31
Brighton and Hove Albion Women: Hourihan (Harris 36), Gibbons, Buet, Fern Whelan, Aileen Whelan (Umotong 46), Natkiel, Peplow (Simpkins 73), Green, Brazil, Williams, Hack
Brighton and Hove Albion Women Subs not used: Harris, Barton, Brett, Connolly
Attendance: 1279