COVENTRY CITY LADIES 0-4 BRISTOL ROVERS LADIES BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City Ladies manager Mark Phillips remained upbeat after a Sky Blues side dogged by injury were beaten 4-0 by National Division side Bristol Rovers.
In very warm conditions at Warwick University, Coventry defender Kelly Mulhall sent a 34th minute header against the Rovers crossbar before Helen Donne finished off a good move to put the visitors ahead two minutes before the interval.
Trialist keeper Paula Palfreyman made a superb one handed save from a Donne header three minutes in to the second period before injuries changed the course of the game.
City had gone into the match having lost defender Heidi Sloan who was in plaster following a City Select's 4-0 defeat in midweek against Michigan University and found themselves down to ten players for a time following injuries to star striker Yvette Dolphin, captain Maria Cartwright, Julia Marshall, Amanda Whalley and Emma Dukes.
Rovers, who reached the Women's FA Cup semi-final last season, used this numerical advantage to increase their lead in the 61st minute when a poor kick by the City keeper went only as far as Mush Green who slammed the ball past the helpless Palfreyman and into the net.
Two minutes later, City went further behind thanks to a sister act as Angela Green slotted home from close range from her sister's cross.
Mark Phillips side kept battling away but six minutes from time,the defences were breached as Kelly Hall broke through to score from close range.
Palfreyman finished the game with two spectacular saves to keep the score down as Rovers cruised to an easy victory.
City manager Mark Phillips was not unduly worried about the score-line and said:" It was a good work out for us against Premier Division opposition. "I think we have a great deal to work with and we got some great positives out of the game. "Scores don't worry me in friendlies,never had done and never will do. "I think the way that we played and the way that we conducted ourselves against a top flight outfit gives us something to aim at."
There was more bad news for the Sky Blues as City Reserves who will compete in the Women's Premier League Reserve Section Division Two North next season were beaten 2-0 also by Bristol Rovers with both goals coming in the second half.
Sharon Porter who took the team in the absence of managers Mark Howard and Steve Clark said "This was a difficult game considering that the players had not played together before and many of our players were playing out of position and I was pleased by the way they performed."