Spurs Women

An own goal from Amy Turner and Bunny Shaw’s 13th goal of the season eased Manchester City to a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Brisbane Road. 

Spurs boss Robert Vilahamn made two changes from the crazy 4-3 win over West Ham, with Charli Grant and Amanda Nilden coming in for full WSL starts, at the expense of Kit Graham and Ramona Petzelberger. 

Manchester City only changed one from their last encounter, with Jill Roord, who sadly obtained an ACL injury in the week, replaced by Laura Coombes.

Hosts Tottenham Hotspur got the game underway, but it was the visitors who had the first chance, with Alex Greenwood striking a brilliant free kick which dipped goal wards, but Barbora Votikova in the Spurs goal kept the effort out. 

City definitely started the stronger and got the lead they deserved thanks to an own goal from Amy Turner, who diverted the loose ball past Votikova and gave the Cityzens the lead inside ten minutes. 

City almost had a second immediately, when a heavy touch from Votikova almost put Bunny Shaw through, but the striker was unable to made any goalward contact. 

Some more body on the line defending from Spurs prevented City doubling their lead, with Molly Bartrip throwing herself infront of a Laura Coombes effort, taking the full whack of the sweetly struck volley.

Controversy surrounded referee, Melissa Burgin, as she didn’t give City an indirect free kick for a seemingly obvious back pass by Molly Bartrip which was picked up by Votikova, however the referee was unmoved, despite numerous protests. 

The hosts then managed to snuffle out their first chance, with Martha Thomas racing through from a Grace Clinton through ball, but skewing her effort wide under pressure from Greenwood. 

City then displayed their quality with Khiara Keating playing a superb ball out from the back over Amanda Nilden, which Chloe Kelly took down and fed into the box, but Coombes couldn’t get any sort of good connection on her effort, seeing it blocked before Yui Hasegawa fired the loose ball over. 

Spurs thought they had the leveller when Martha Thomas calmly slotted past Keating after a nice Evelina Summanen through pass, but the assistant referee’s flag cut any celebrations short from the winger. 

City were spraying the ball around nicely and came close to a second when Lauren Hemp tricked her way past he marker, stood up a cross which was met by Bunny Shaw, but her header was straight at Votikova in the Spurs goal. 

Evelina Summanen was the first name in the referee’s notebook following a cynical foul on Bunny Shaw when the attacker was breaking away in the last action of the half.

Half Time - Spurs 0-1 Man City

Filippa Angeldahl had the first chance of the second 45, getting on the end of a knockdown but lashing her right footed effort wide of Votikova’s post. 

City’s dominance paid dividends five minutes after half time as Lauren Hemp pounced on a loose ball and slid through Bunny Shaw, who on her 50th WSL appearance smashed the ball high into the top corner past a flat footed Votikoiva and double the visitors lead. 

Charli Grant then got a vital toe in to deny Shaw a clean chance at a second goal for herself, before Robert Vilahamn rolled the dice, bringing off Martha Thomas and Grace Clinton in place of Jessica Naz and Shuang Wang, the latter for her WSL and Tottenham debut. 

Those two changes were introduced to create a bit of speed and directness into the Spurs squad, which worked for five or so minutes, but they both fell into the City trap of being able to stifle Tottenham.

Charli Grant was then replaced by Ramona Patzelberger for Tottenham as we entered the final 15 minutes, with Gareth Taylor then making a double change, with Mary Fowler and Jess Park replacing goalscorer Shaw, and Laura Coombes. 

The first two Spurs changes almost combined to drag them back into the game as Naz got on the end of Wang’s pass, but the former’s effort flew over the bar, 

Spurs registered another late chance, with Bethany England racing through and slamming a left footed effort goalward, with the effort being held by Kheating, 

Spurs brought on more fresh legs in added time, as Rosella Ayanne and Matilda Vinberg replaced Bethany England and Celin Bizet. 

The referee blew the full time whistle to confirm a professional performance for the visitors, seeing them move three points behind Chelsea on the same amount of games. This result also kept Spurs in 6th, with a visit to Prenton Park next weekend.

Full Time - Spurs 0-2 Man City

Turner (OG), 9’, Shaw 50’