Edward Payne

London City Lionesses continued their unbeaten start to the Women’s Championship season with a 2-1 win over previously undefeated Bristol City on Sunday at Hayes Lane.

Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah opened the scoring for the Pride with an outrageous effort from around 50-yards in the 16th minute before Sofia Jakobsson, on her debut, doubled their lead five minutes later.  Amalie Thestrup scored the Robins consolation goal around the mid-point of the second half.

Bristol City made a good start in Stephen Kirby’s first match in charge with Lexi Lloyd-Smith putting in a good cross into area that was cleared by the hosts defence in the 6th minute. 

A nice attacking move from the visitors finished with Amy Rodgers having a shot blocked two minutes later.

In the 15th minute the Robins had another chance when a great ball forward from Emily Syme found Jamie-Lee Napier but her low shot went across face of goal and just wide.

A minute later Boye-Hlorkah gave London City the lead in the most spectacular way with a lob from the edge of the centre circle that flew over Bentley and into the net.

In the 20th minute, a corner from the home side hit Boye-Hlorkah and went straight into the goalkeepers hands.

Swedish internationals linked up to double the Prides lead a minute later when Kosovare Asllani’s pass found Jakobsson and she found the net with a curling shot from 12-yards.

Jakobasson had to go off injured five minutes later and was replaced by Isobel Goodwin.  Bristol City got on top after that though both sides were miss placing passes.

Two minutes before half time, the home side went close to scoring a third but Goodwin saw her strike hit the outside of the post.

The visitors had the ball in the net during first half stoppage time but the whistle had long gone for an offence spotted by the referee.

Neither side had any chances during the first 20 minutes of the second half with the final ball lacking on occasions for both the Pride and Robins.

Bristol City thought they had got a goal back with the first opportunity after the break in the 65th minute when after Abi Harrison had been denied by Emily Orman, Syme put the rebound in the net but the flag was up for offside.

Three minutes they did make it 2-1 when Thestrup got on the end of Lloyd Smith’s deflected cross to score for the Robins from close range.

Asllani headed over for the hosts in the 73rd minute after some good build up down the right side of the pitch.

Cerys Brown made a good tackle during stoppage time to stop an attack from the visitors then Georgia Brougham made a clearance from a cross as the hosts defence stood strong before the referee blew the final whistle.

Line ups

London City Lionesses (3-4-1-2): Orman, Goldie, Brougham, Henson, Wilde (Neville 79’), Meyong, Roddar (Scofield 79’), Mukandi (Brown 79’), Asllani (c), Boye-Hlorkah, Jakobsson (Goodwin 26’ (Fitzgerald 67’))

Unused substitutes: Moloney, Marashi

Goals – Boye-Hlorkah 16’, Jakobsson 21’

Booked - Orman

Bristol City (4-2-3-1): Bentley, Bull (Ward 65’), Bennett, Struck (Humphries 72’), Powell (Bance 90’+1), Syme, Rodgers, Lloyd-Smith, Harrison (Morgan 65’), Napier (c), Thestrup

Unused substitutes: Burns, Earl, Woolley, Teisar, Pearce

Goal – Thestrup 68’

Booked - Napier

Referee – Ella Broad