Report: Birmingham City Women 1-1 Bristol City Women.

Charlie Wellings’ first-half goal was cancelled out by Christie Murray’s second-half equaliser in a close affair in the Midlands.

What happened? 

Birmingham tested Bristol City’s goal early on when Ruesha Littlejohn tried her luck with a vicious shot from 25-yards out, however Sophie Baggaley was equal to it as she palmed the effort over the bar.

After soaking up the early pressure from the hosts, the Robins took the lead in the Midlands through former Blue, Charlie Wellings.

Abi Harrison’s deep cross was met by Carla Humphrey at the back post whose shot ricocheted into the path of Wellings, and the winger lashed a half-volley from the centre of the box into the net.

The goal against her former club was Wellings’ second in her last three league appearances.

Ebony Salmon tried her luck with a driven shot from inside the box which was spilt by Hannah Hampton, but the Blues defence were alert and cleared the danger.

As the end of the first-half approached both sides continued to search for the game’s next goal. Birmingham had a couple of good spells and came close when a cross was fired in from the right and looked certain to be tapped in, but Yana Daniels made a brilliant block on the line to deny an equaliser.

In the early stages of the second-half, Salmon came tantalisingly close to doubling the Robins’ lead. She latched onto a long ball and charged into the box from the right, but her driven shot flashed across goal and just past the post. 

Sarah Mayling then came inches away with a thunderous attempt from inside the box, but for an outstanding fingertip save from Baggaley as the ‘keeper pushed the effort onto the bar, with the ball eventually going out for a corner.

The resulting corner saw Birmingham find the equaliser through Christie Murray. 

A set-piece routine saw the ball find its way to the feet of the Blues’ captain and she found the top corner to level the scoring just before the hour mark. 

Neither side were able to create any clear-cut chances until just before the 80th-minute mark when Molly Pike intercepted the ball on the edge of the Birmingham box. Pike had Wellings to her right in a two on one situation but opted to shoot from range, but her effort curled just wide of the top corner.

As both teams got more desperate to find the winner the game widened, however neither side could conjure a goal as the game finished 1-1.

Teams:

Bristol City Women: Baggaley, Evans ©, Pike, Humphrey, Salmon, Daniels, Wellings, Harrison (Bryson, 75), Purfield, Mastrantonio (Palmer, 63), Skeels.

Substitutes: Haaland, Rafferty, Allen, Bissell, Collis, Layzell, Jones.

Birmingham City: Hampton, Scott, Brougham, Mace, Holloway, Murray ©, Whipp, Littlejohn, Mayling, Walker, Napier.

Substitutes: Whitehouse, Lawley, Green, McCarron, Kelly

Key Moment: 

On her return to her former club, Charlie Wellings was able to find the vital goal for the Robins to ensure her side left the Midlands with a point.

Good work on the left-hand side saw Harrison find some space to float a cross towards Humphrey in the box. The midfielder plucked the ball out of the air and attempted a shot of her own, however her effort was blocked into the path of the unmarked Wellings, who laced home from close range.

The goal gave the Robins some breathing room for the remainder of the first half, and despite conceding, City were able to come away with a much-valuable point in their bid for survival.

Player of the Match: Charlie Wellings

The winger seems to have found her feet during one of the most important periods of the season dropping another great performance for the Robins.

The 22-year-old didn’t stop running from minute one to 90 as she looked to threaten the Birmingham backline at any opportunity she got.

Her first-half strike was also her second goal in her last three league appearances, with her other coming in the 3-2 win over Reading in early March.

Clutch. 

Author: Lewis Barton

Match Report Sponsor: University of the West of England