Coventry City Ladies 2-1 Manchester City Ladies By Kev Monks
City
Wood,Durrant, Ward, Lynch, Butler,Miles, Formaston (Wilcox 47), Barber, Robson, Clough (Saulter 78), Dermody.
Subs Manca, Christie, Evans.
Man City
Simpson, Champ, Middleton, McManus, McKellan (Loa 78), Young, Bayley (Lee 63), Savage, Johnston, Jordan, Turner.
HT CCLFC 0-1 MCLFC
FT CCLFC 2-1. MCLFC
Goals Lyndsey Savage (31 pen), Callen Barber (52), Helen Dermody (89)
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Archer Bassett sponsored Coventry City Ladies keep pushing onwards with their bid for promotion with a 2-1 victory over WPL Northern Division leaders Manchester City.
With the demands of a Police football competition and the London Marathon taking its toll, Paul Cudby had to shuffle his pack for a game that City had to win in order to keep their WPL Northern Division title hopes alive.
It did not seem to affect matters too much as City won three early corners before Carly Bayley missed with a free header from a 12th minute corner.
Bayley stroked wide four minutes later in what was a tight game with neither side able to get the break they wanted.
Callen Barber and Jade Formaston gave the visiting defence plenty to keep them occupied.
Dermody and Robson from a Lynch free kick had chances but in the 31st minute, the vistors were awarded a penalty when the ball struck Milly Durrant and the referee Carlton Henry, in his opinion, thought it was a deliberate handball, which from two foot out it could not be and awarded a penalty which Lyndsey Savage duly dispatched.
Injuries to Dermody, Nikki Miles and Formaston following a crunching tackle, extended the half but it was the visitors led at the break.
Formaston was tackled again and this time, was unable to continue and had to be replaced by Natalie Wilcox.
In the 52nd minute, Katy Ward, leading a fired up Sky Blues, got the ball from Dermody and hit a twenty five yard shot which hit the underside of the bar and came down off the keeper. In ran Callen Barber to bundle the ball into the net and City were level.
Barber was denied a clear penalty when she was pushed over by Fliss Middleton and in the 57th minute, Karen Clough struck Simpson's right hand post after good work from Kirsty Robson.
The battling Milly Durrant (pictured below 14) got through but her 66th minute effort was blocked by the hand of Simpson.
Elana Turner fired wide in a rare sortee on goal for the away side but the Sky Blues of Coventry were the stronger team and Nikki Miles fired wide before Krystie Johnston got through and thankfully fired wide.
With nine seconds of normal time remaining, City got a free kick thirty yards out. Helen Dermody took the kick and sent the ball into the bottom of the net to keep City on track for promotion.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM