Birmingham City Ladies manager David Parker admitted it was two points lost for his side after they were held to a goalless draw at home against Everton in their FA WSL 1 curtain raiser.
There was little to separate the two sides in the league table last year and so it proved on the pitch for their season opener with Danielle Turner for Everton and Kirsty Linnett for the Blues both hitting the woodwork in the second half.
Parker said: "I thought it was a game that we were never going to lose.
Birmingham 0-0 Everton
FA WSL 1
Wednesday 16 April
Solihull Moors FC
by Jeff Clowes
"To be honest I thought it was only a matter of time before we scored with the chances and set pieces we had but it never came.
"We made a few changes with the younger players as we have three games this week and they did well.
"Tonight it’s disappointing not to take three points at home. We’ve had chances and so have they on occasions and looking at it I think a draw is a fair result."
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors when Nikita Parris’s close-range header was well saved by Rebecca Spencer in the seventh minute.
Birmingham’s first effort on goal fell to Katie Wilkinson but she fired high over the bar just before the half-hour mark.
The visitors had a great chance at the start of the second half when Billie Murphy ghosted in at the back post but her effort was superbly saved by Spencer.
Both sides then struggled to create clear openings but it was the visitors who looked the more likely winners.
Turner hit the post from close range when maybe she should have done better but in the closing minutes Linnett rattled the bar for the Blues and the spoils were shared, a fair result according to Toffees boss Andy Spence.
He said: "I’ve just said to the girls this time last year we’d played two games and conceded seven goals.
"This year we have conceded one in The Cup and none here against a very good Birmingham side.
"So from that point a view in terms of our defensive column it’s huge. I’ve told the girls this season will be defined by keeping clean sheets because we’ve always got goals in the team.
"On the balance of play I think it’s a fair result. We’ve had four or five decent chances and hit the post and created chances as well."
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Spencer, Sargeant, Harrop, Mannion, Carter, Carney, Moore, Torkildsen, Simpkins, (Potter, 61) Keryakoplis (Linnett, 46), Wilkinson (Allen, 46).
Substitutes not used: Lawley, Brown, Baggaley, Haines.
Everton (4-2-3-1): Brown-Finnis, Murphy, Whelan, Johnson, Greenwood, Chaplen, D Turner (Magill, 77) Handley, K Jones, Hinnigan, Parris.
Substitutes not used: V Jones, Whipp, George, M Turner, Walsh, Hayes.
Attendance: 657
