Manchester United Women 2, Manchester City Women 2
Manchester United super-sub Kirsty Hanson made sure of a point against Manchester City to keep the Reds on top of the WSL.
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited had started the day on top of the WSL, 5 points clear of City but Gareth Taylor’s team let in two sloppy second half goals as they paid the price for not converting their first half dominance into more goals.
Tobin Heath and Hanson scored in the second half to cancel out first half goals by Chloe Kelly and Laura Coombs as City’s weaknesses at the back were exposed again.
The Reds could even have won it at the end but for a goal line clearance by Demi Stokes while City regressed after the break after a tactical change by United boss Casey Stoney.
City had had 22 chances in all, but only 8 after the break as the Reds pressed City differently in the second half and City captain Steph Houghton was nursing a back injury at the end which Taylor described as ‘a knee in the back’ which could affect her involvement in Thursday’s Continental Cup game back at Leigh Sports Village.
Both sides made just the one change from their last matches – Jess Sigsworth started in place of Hansen with Katie Zelem on the bench, while both of United’s American players – Tobin Heath and Christen Press – started.
Demi Stokes replaced Gemma Bonner in City’s only change with Alex Greenwood moving into central defence while Gareth Taylor retained faith in Laura Coombs ahead of Jill Scott, Caroline Weir, and Rose Lavelle.
Georgia Stanway wasted an early chance to strike for City when she drove the ball into the side netting when a pull back to Ellen White was on.
Ella Toone fired wide when Heath pulled the ball back from the left.
But it was Chloe Kelly who fired City into the lead after United repeatedly failed to deal with a routine corner, flicking Steph Horton’s mishit shot beyond the reach of Mary Earps in the 9th minute.
Stanway was giving Ona Batlle a torrid time on City’s left flank and floated in another one that curled away from goal as City threatened a second one.
United blocked shots from Sam Mewis and Lucy Bronze as City continued to ask questions of the Reds without looking like adding to their lead.
The Reds steadied the ship towards the end of the first half, preventing more City chances in the first half – White’s cross for Stanway was tipped away by Earps.
But Coombs notched City’s second in first half added time when Kelly and White combined to feed Mewis whose shot was blocked but Coombs fired in the rebound – her third goal in as many games.
There may have been a suspicion of offside in the build up but it was no more than City had deserved after dominating the first half.
Hanson replaced Sigsworth as Casey Stoney made a vital change at half time, changing the press after United boss Casey Stoney admitted she “got the press wrong”.
And in the 54th minute Heath pulled a goal back for the Reds after a sloppy pass inside by Bronze was seized on by the American who smashed a stunning curling shot first time past Ellie Roebuck.
City got themselves back into the game with White blazing over from close range and Stanway shooting wide after meeting a cross by Kelly from the right.
But the early wastefulness caught up with the Blues when the Reds wiped out City’s lead from a corner which City failed to properly defend.
Roebuck saved Hanson’s first shot but could do nothing about the rebound which the substitute put away with City defenders slow to react.
Hanson tested Roebuck with another long range shot which the keeper saved as the Reds looked more effective in the second half.
They even had a chance to win it when substitute Lucy Staniforth tried to turn a corner in for the Reds in the last minute but Stokes was there on the line to make the clearance as Roebuck dived across.
City were also hunting a winner but Kelly went for glory and blazed well over while City captain Steph Houghton ended the game getting treatment on a lower back injury as City remained in 5th place in the league – 5 points adrift of the Reds.
GOALS – Manchester United Women 2, Manchester City Women 2
Man Utd Women 0, Man City Women 1: 9. Chloe Kelly flicked Steph Houghton’s mishit shot beyond the reach of Mary Earps after United repeatedly failed to clear a routine City corner.
Man Utd Women 0, Man City Women 2: 45+1. Laura Coombs lashed in a second from the edge of the area after Sam Mewis’ initial shot had been blocked.
Man Utd Women 1, Man City Women 2: 54. Tobin Heath scored with a first time swerving shot after reacting first to a sloppy pass inside her own 18 yard box by Lucy Bronze.
Man Utd Women 2, Man City Women 2: 74: Kirsty Hanson put away a rebound after Ellie Roebuck had saved her first effort from a United corner conceded by Steph Houghton.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United Women 2, Manchester City Women 2
Man Utd Women: Earps, Batlle, Amy Turner, Millie Turner, Galton, Ladd, Groenen, Sigsworth (Hanson 46), Toone, Heath (Staniforth 71), Press (James 55)
Man Utd Women Subs Not Used: Ramsey, Okvist, Zelem, Ross
Booked: Press 46
Goals: Heath 54; Hanson 74
Man City Women: Roebuck, Bronze, Houghton, Greenwood, Stokes, Mewis, Walsh, Coombs (Weir 85), Kelly, White (Beckie 76), Stanway (Park 88)
Man City Women Subs Not Used: Bardsley, Bonner, Scott, Morgan, Lavelle
Booked: Kelly 45+4 (foul on Leah Galton)
Goals: Kelly 9; Coombs 45+1
Referee: Amy Fearns