Edward Payne

London City Lionesses returned to winning ways on Sunday as they beat Lewes 3-1 in the Women’s Championship.  The Lionesses goals all came during the first half with Sarah Ewens, Shanade Hopcroft and Kyra Carusa scoring them.  They were reduced to ten players with just over 15 minutes left when Lily Agg was sent-off.  Ellie Mason scored a late consolation goal for Lewes.

London City Lionesses’ interim head coach Nikita Runnacles was away on international duty with England’s under 17s.  They made two changes from the side that had lost to Sheffield United last weekend with Grace Neville and Carusa coming in for Lucy Fitzgerald and Karin Muya.

Scott Booth made three changes for Lewes from the starting eleven that had beaten Sunderland with Amber-Keegan Stobbs, Isobel Dalton and Emily Kraft replacing Rhian Cleverly, Nat Johnson and Emma Thompson.

On a fairly pleasant afternoon at Prince Park, the home side took the lead in the 7th minute. Lewes tried to play out short from a goal kick which Carusa charged down and the ball fell to Ewens who finished into the top corner.

Lewes’ first chance game in the 12th minute but Mason put the ball well wide of goal.  Kraft had another effort for the visitors two minutes later but this one went over. 

London City Lionesses made it 2-0 in the 17th minute when Hopcroft’s in swinging corner went straight in despite the efforts of a Lewes defender on the line who tried to keep it out.

Jamie-Lee Napier had a couple of efforts for the hosts but saw Sophie Whitehouse save her shot in the 27th minute, then seconds later saw a shot blocked by Lewes’ defence.  Hopcroft put a long-range free kick wide before Carusa had the ball in the net for the Lionesses but it was ruled out due to a foul in the build-up.

Both goalkeepers then made saves with the home sides Shae Yanez stopping a Mason shot in the 34th minute, and Whitehouse denied Napier at the other end three minutes later.

In the 38th minute, the hosts made it 3-0 when Ewens picked up a loose ball in midfield, passed to Carusa who finished from the edge of the area with a lovely shot to score her first goal for London City Lionesses.

Lewes made a double substitution at half time with Nat Johnson and Grace Palmer coming on for Dalton and Kenzie Weir.  This led to a change in formation with them switching to 4-3-3 and Stobbs playing further forward.

After making these changes, the visitors had the first couple of chances of the second half with Mason putting an effort wide, then Yanez caught a long-range free kick from Amelia Hazard. 

Napier’s first time shot for the home side went wide in the 59th minute. Mason saw a shot saved as Lewes looked to get back into the game.  Yanez then stopped a looping effort from Stobbs in the 71st minute.

Agg was shown a straight red card by referee Isabel Chaplin for an off the ball incident in the 74th minute

Mason scored the Rooks consolation goal in the 83rd minute when she headed in Palmer’s cross into the corner of the net.

Yanez made a good save as the match entered stoppage time when she tipped away Mason’s header. 

The win sees London City Lionesses remain in second place in the league, six points behind Bristol City who they play on Sunday at home.  Lewes stay in seventh position, and their next game is also on Sunday when they welcome WSL side Manchester United to The Dripping Pan in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Line-ups

London City Lionesses (3-4-3): Yanez, Bennett (c), Rodgers, Nolan, Neville, Hopcroft (Kitching 90’+3), Agg, Joel, Ewens (Muya 77’), Carusa, Napier (Primus 77’)

Unused substitutes: Cull, Shepherd, Fitzgerald, Heuchan

Goals – Ewens 7’, Hopcroft 17’, Carusa 38’

Sent-off – Agg

Lewes (3-5-2): Whitehouse, Weir (Johnson 45’), Wardlaw, Barton, McKenna, Stobbs (Thompson 77’), Hazard, Dalton (Palmer 45’), Howells, Mason (c), Kraft

Unused substitutes: Moore, Cleverly, Copus-Brown, Pursey, Longhurst, Mushtaq

Goal – Mason 83’

Booked – Wardlaw

Referee – Isabel Chaplin