Report: Bristol City 0-1 Liverpool - FA Cup.

City were knocked out of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, losing 0-1 to Liverpool at Ashton Gate.

Despite being the better side and dominating the majority of proceedings, Lauren Smith’s side were sunk by Gemma Bonner’s 85th minute winner.

Smith made two changes to the side which started against Chelsea last month, with Shae Yanez making her debut between the sticks in place of Liv Clark, and Emily Syme coming in for Ffion Morgan.

City started the brighter of the two sides and Amalie Thestrup was causing the visiting defence problems in the opening stages, forcing a couple of corners, before almost getting on the end of Abi Harrison’s delivery.

Emily Syme pounced on a loose ball and found Harrison in the eighteen-yard box with a lovely pass, but the Scot was adjudged to have been in an offside position.

Liverpool gave the ball away in a dangerous area again and this time it was Thestrup who was gifted the ball, finding Syme on the edge of the area, but the City midfielder couldn't get her shot away in time.

Syme was involved again just before the break, heading Megan Connolly’s corner goalwards, but there wasn't enough pace or conviction on it to trouble Tegan Micah in the Liverpool goal.

Smith would’ve gone into the break the happier of the two managers, and her side came flying out of the blocks in the second, with half-time introduction Morgan winning a corner on the right.

The visitors were then reduced to ten players when Ceri Holland received a second yellow for a wild challenge on Carrie Jones.

Morgan was again at the forefront as she combined with Thestrup, teeing up City’s top scorer on the edge of the box, but her effort sailed over the bar. 

Liverpool took the lead with five minutes of regular time left on the clock, when Gemma Bonner fired past Yanez from close range.

City went in search of a late equaliser as Morgan beat her marker with a burst of pace on the right, before pulling the ball back into the path of Thestrup, but the Dane could only flick her effort wide.

Amy Rodgers went agonisingly close to levelling it in six additional minutes, seeing her effort deflected narrowly wide.

From the resulting corner, Yanez, up from the back, connected with Connolly’s cross and almost grabbed an extraordinary debut goal, but her header was well held by Micah.

TEAM: Yanez, Mustaki, Connolly ©, Layzell, Powell, Rodgers, Jones, Napier, Harrison (Morgan 45’), Syme (Ward 86’), Thestrup.

Substitutes: Felgate, Struck, Hayles, Bull, Teisar, Pearce, Slocombe. 

ATT: 2,563

Words: Kory Cook