Blackburn Rovers 0-4 Coventry City Ladies
The Sky Blues travelled to title outsiders Blackburn Rovers on Sunday looking to stay at the top of the FA Women's Premier League table. A comfortable 2-0 victory for City over struggling Nottingham Forest would fill Coventry with confidence going in to the tie. Both sides would be looking for a win to keep them challenging for the league crown.
Coventry got off to a bright start and just one minute in Ashleigh Neville fired wide after an Amber Hughes cross. There was a high tempo to the game early on as both teams attempted to get forward, but it was the Sky Blues who were having more of the ball though as they looked to threaten. A corner was won on 8 minutes and the away side very nearly took the lead. It was a drilled delivery to the front post by Helen Dermody and Jade Formaston was there to divert towards goal, her effort was blocked on the line however. City continued to probe and just one minute later Amber Hughes dragged an effort wide after good fluent passing play.
The Sky Blues continued to cause the Blackburn defence problems and Amber Hughes forced a brilliant save from Gemma Jackson on 16 minutes. It was a fierce effort low to the keeper's right but she was down quickly to react and palm the ball away from danger. Just 2 minutes later and Coventry were inches away from taking the lead again, another magnificent Dermody corner was headed towards goal by Dani Selmes but a defender managed to hook it off the line before Destiney Toussaint's rebound was saved. City were really in control of the game as they knocked the ball around well on a bobbly surface, Blackburn were struggling early on.
Blackburn started to enjoy brief spells of possession but City managed to defend competently as Sue Wood remained untested in goal. The home side could have had an opportunity on 33 minutes as Jess Holbrook drilled a free kick low in to the box from our wide, nobody could get a clean contact though and the ball ran away from danger to City's relief. Rovers began to settle now as they finally looked to be in the game, City still looked dangerous going forward though. The last real chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Blackburn however as a drilled corner was prodded wide by Mille Shaw. The referee sounded the whistle soon after though to bring an end to the first period.
Half-Time: Blackburn Rovers LFC 0-0 Coventry City LFC
City started the second half in a similar fashion to the first as they put the Lancashire side under real pressure. Jade Formaston fired straight at the goalkeeper on 49 minutes before Ashleigh Neville struck wide. The Sky Blues were then denied a stonewall penalty on 51 minutes as Dani Selmes was brought down in the area by the goalkeeper after she made a hash of collecting a Toussaint cross.
City continued to dominate proceedings and Blackburn struggled to get out of their own half at times with the Coventry front line pressing relentlessly. A swift attacking move came about on 59 minutes as Destiney Toussaint played in Amber Hughes with a brilliant outside of the foot pass, only a wonderful challenge then denied her. Just a minute later and the Sky Blues did take the lead though. Another excellent Dermody corner reaped havoc and a Blackburn was out-jumped by Ashleigh Neville and the winger headed home to make it 1-0 to City.
The game was finely poised with only one goal separating the sides and Blackburn looked capable going forward despite not testing Wood. Real speed was on show on the counter but the Coventry defence were dealing with the threat confidently, the offside trap was particularly working well. The home side started to have more of the again and they nearly equalised on 72 minutes, it was a neat passing move that allowed Jess Holbrook to force Sue Wood in to a smart save at full stretch.
A tight nature to the game continued in to the final 10 minutes as both teams battled it out in the centre of the park. The Sky Blues were inches away from doubling their advantage on 82 minutes as Destiney Toussaint smashed a fierce effort which bounced back out off the crossbar with the goalkeeper in awe. Just 2 minutes later and it was 2-0 though as Callan Barber rolled in Toussaint, she then squared to substitute Maz Gauntlett who drilled the ball in to the bottom left corner. The Sky Blues then saw out the game with a very commanding final few minutes and they even made it 3-0 courtesy of a superb Dani Selmes finish in to the top corner after Toussaint rolled her in. There was still time remaining for a fourth goal though as Dani Selmes bags a brace to make it 4-0.