Coventry City Ladies beat Huddersfield Town 6-4 this afternoon.
The Sky Blues welcomed Huddersfield Town to the DCS Stadium in another FA Women's Premier League encounter, after picking up a win last weekend against Derby and took on a Huddersfield side seventh in the division, knowing that a win could potentially move them up two places.
City got off to a good start and they kept possession well early on. They fashioned the first chance of the tie on three minutes as Helen Dermody crosses to Natasha Lynch, the defender could only head straight at the keeper though. Howling winds made it difficult for both teams as they looked to go forward, but Huddersfield had the wind behind them and they used it to their advantage to take the lead on eight minutes. A superb cross from a dead ball situation from Kate Mallin reached Samantha Conray at the back post and she then headed home brilliantly.
It didn't take long for the Sky Blues to respond though as just a minute later and the scores were level at 1-1. A good cross found Ashleigh Neville who managed to peel off her marker, she than managed to volley the ball emphatically in to the far corner. The first 15 minutes were fairly even though in all honesty as the two sides battled against eachother, along with the wind that was influencing the direction of the ball. Coventry were having the better of possession though and they nearly took the lead with sixteen minutes played, a tempting cross allowed Jade Formaston to challenge for the header but it was cleared off the line.
With twenty minutes played the home side had another chance to go in front. Good work down the left from Samantha Quayle saw her cross in to the danger area, Dani Selmes then spun on the ball before testing the goalkeeper who responded well. The wind then held up an Annabel Johnson cross just minutes later and the keeper was worried as it dropped narrowly wide of the far post. Possession was being kept well by City but the away side did look a threat on the counter attack.
A fairly scrappy nature of the game continued as you'd expect in such treacherous conditions. Both sides struggled to carve out any clear-cut chances as anything over the top was effected by the wind, there was some good play on the floor however, but neither team looked like breaking through from open play. It was a set-piece that got the next goal of the game on 37 minutes and it fell to the visitors. After a handball was given on the edge of the box Kate Mallin stood over the ball, she then wrapped her effort around the wall and in to the top corner to hand Huddersfield a 2-1 lead.
The remainder of the half petered out as both teams scrapped for the final few minutes. Helen Dermody went close with a free kick and Amber Hughes had a strike sail over just before the break, but the away side went in with the lead.
Just four minutes in to the second half and the Sky Blues were level after a solid start. Another superb cross from a Helen Dermody free kick was planted straight in to Dani Selmes' path, she then headed magnificently across goal and in to the far corner to make it 2-2. They continued to play with a high intensity after equalising and they looked the more likely of the two sides to grab another. The wind was behind Coventry this half and they looked to dictate the game with short, sharp passes. Huddersfield still showed the odd threat going forward but City defended well as they looked in control.
The continued spell of dominance allowed the Sky Blues to take the lead on 58 minutes. Great work from Helen Dermody saw her run through the away midfield, she then played a beautifully weighted pass to Amber Hughes out wide. It was Hughes' cross that then created the goal, Destiney Toussaint had the first chance but it was saved instinctively. The rebound fell to Dani Selmes though and she poked the ball home to bag her second of the game to make it 3-2.
With 64 minutes played City nearly extended the lead as Helen Dermody saw her free kick deflected just wide of the right post. Carly Davies then came off the bench to replace Dani Selmes on 65 minutes to add some fresh legs and she was involved straight away, closing down the Huddersfield defenders when they had possession of the ball. Despite City's control, the away side managed to make it 3-3 with 71 minutes on the clock. Another set-piece caused City problems as a well directed cross found Emily Hackler at the front post and her header flew past Sue Wood in the City goal to level things.
The game took another turn on 75 minutes as City managed to take the lead again. A corner from Dermody was cleared to the edge of the area where Ashleigh Neville was lurking, she somehow missed the ball but Amber Hughes was on hand to curl the ball in to the far corner with a superb finish to make it 4-3.
Substitute Callan Barber was then at the centre of things on 85 minutes as the Sky Blues made it 5-3. The midfielder showed magnificent feet to beat her marker before putting in a peach of a delivery that found Carly Davies at the back post, the striker then scored her first goal for the club with a good header.
As for the final few minutes, they turned rather scrappy but there was time for one two more goals and it was the home side struck first. A cross from Carly Davies was spilled by the goalkeeper and Ashleigh Neville was on hand to make it 6-3 in the hosts' favour.
Huddersfield went up the other end and reduced the deficit just a minute later, it was cross in to a dangerous area that forced Annabel Johnson to head in to her own net.
The referee blew his whistle soon after though to end proceedings and bring and end to a very eventful game.
Full time: Coventry City LFC 6-4 Huddersfield Town LFC
City: Wood, Johnson, Quayle, Formaston, Lynch, Hollingsworth, Hughes, Demody, Selmes, Toussaint, Neville.