City held by Academy

Birmingham City 1-1 Bristol Academy
The FA WSL
7.30pm, Monday 27 August 2012
Stratford Town FC
Live on ESPN
Click here to visit the official FA WSL website 

Birmingham City Ladies striker Jodie Taylor admitted their Women’s Super League title tilt is all but over after they could only draw 1-1 with Bristol Academy at the DCS Stadium.


The Blues move above Everton into second on goal difference as a result of the draw, but are still eight points behind leaders Arsenal with five games to play.


Taylor had given the hosts the lead after 18 minutes when she latched on to Chelsea Weston’s long ball and sent a crisp finish past goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain.


But Natasha Harding leveled the scores four minutes later when she chased down a wayward ball and sent her effort looping over Marie Hourihan and into the back of the net, via a deflection off Kerys Harrop.


Taylor was disappointed with the outcome, and she believes that the result all but ends their chances of winning the league.


“I think second place is probably more realistic, we’ve got Everton there as well but we’ve got to win every game from now,” she said after the match.


“There are some positives. We pressed really well defensively. I think we just need a bit more quality on the ball and in the final third in front of goal.


“I think we should have come away with three points today, we had enough chances to put it away, but that’s how it is.


“Bristol are a good team, you can’t take anything away from them, they’re physical just like us, it was a tough game.”


The Vixens also moved above Everton on goal difference, this time into third place, and probably enjoyed the better of the chances in the second half.


Harding saw her effort blocked on the line after the break, while the dangerous Laura del Rio smacked an effort off the upright after cutting inside onto her left foot.


The Blues hit the crossbar twice in the first half – first through Weston’s cross and then Jo Potter’s 25-yard chip – and visiting manager Mark Sampson admitted that a draw was a fair result, but refused to throw in the towel as far as the league title is concerned.


“We knew it was going to be tough coming here,” Sampson said. “We worked on stopping their game and I think we did that well.


“We had chances to win it and with a little more luck we could have got the three points.


“It’s going to be tough to chase down Arsenal, but we play them on Wednesday and Monday so we’ll see how we look after that.”
 

Birmingham (4-4-2): Marie Hourihan; Chelsea Weston, Emily Westwood, Laura Bassett, Kerys Harrop; Karen Carney (Izzy Christiansen 90), Jo Potter, Rachel Williams, Jade Moore; Eni Aluko, Jodie Taylor
Subs not used: Emily Simpkins, Anna Wilcox, Hannah George, Harley Simpson, Marie Ballard.
  
Bristol Academy (4-4-2): Siobhan Chamberlain; Alex Windell, Corrine Yorston, Jemma Rose, Loren Dykes; Natasha Harding, Jess Fishlock, Angharad James, Mel Lawley (Grace McCatty 79); Laura del Rio, Nikki Watts.

Subs not used: Anna Marie Heatherson, Molly Clarke, Jasmine Matthews, Ellie Curson, Rhian Cleverly
  
Attendance: 513

For more details on all of these games, and to keep up to date with The FA WSL throughout the season visit the official League website: www.FAWSL.com