Report: Brighton and Hove Albion 3-1 Bristol City Women.

Match Report Sponsor: University of the West of England

What happened? 

City travelled to the People’s Pension Stadium knowing only a win would give them a chance of survival, with either Aston Villa or Birmingham needing to lose to keep the Robins up.

Bristol City started the more dominant of the two sides and seemed to be in the ascendancy in the first five minutes but they were dealt a cruel blow on the seventh minute.

A short corner routine from the hosts saw Inessa Kaagman whip a ball into the box, which fell to Maya Le Tissier who tucked home amongst a sea bodies to put the Seagulls 1-0 up.

The Robins seemed shell shocked after falling behind early and it was the hosts who would get a firm foothold in the game for the remainder of the first period.

Ellie Brazil had a glorious chance to put the Seagulls two up midway through the first half, however Sophie Baggaley stood tall to deny the speedy forward and keep City in the game.

Neither side managed to net prior to half-time but following the break Brighton would be the next to find the back of the net.

Emma Koivisto miscued her shot from Brazil’s deep cross, which fortuitously fell into the path of Lee Guem-Min who dispatched her venomous effort in off the bar.

City needed to chase the game with half an hour to go and they found a lifeline through Abi Harrison.

Jemma Purfield’s deep cross was met at the back post by Yana Daniels and the Belgian’s header found Harrison waiting at the front post to bundle in and give City hope.

Immediately after there was almost a chance for City to draw level as Ebony Salmon hared after a long through ball from Gemma Evans, however Le Tissier recovered remarkably quickly to deny the forward a shot on goal.

The final sucker punch which ultimately sealed the Robin’s fate came from Dutch international Inessa Kaagman, whose deflected freekick wrong footed Baggaley to cross the line and secure all three points for the Seagulls.

The result ensured that Bristol City Women will be playing in the FA Women’s Championship for the 2021/22 campiagn.

Teams:

Bristol City Women: Baggaley, Bryson ©, Evans, Pike, Humphrey, Salmon, Daniels, Wellings, Sargeant, Purfield, Skeels

Subs: Håland, Allen, Wynne, Bissell, Collis, Harrison, Woolley

Brighton & Hove Albion: Fiskerstrand, Gibbons, Le Tissier, Whelan, Lee, Kaagman, Koivisto, Green, Brazil, Simpkins, Williams ©

Subs: Walsh (GK), Roe, Kerkdijk, Connolly, Heroum, Jarrett, Symonds, Olding, Bance