ASTON VILLA LADIES 1-2 COVENTRY CITY LADIES BY KEV MONKS
City: Wood, Goulding, Lynch, Hollingsworth, Simpkins, McKenna, Dermody (Durrant 40), Barber, Saulter (Farrow 46), Bartlett, Formaston (Male 72) SNU Morgan, Steele.
Villa: Harris, Vaughan, Clarke, Petrovic, Richards, Moran, Gibson (Lowe 68), Merritt (off 44, Fellows 46), Follis, Wilkinson, Griffiths (Jennings 68). Subs Courtney, Umotong.
HT AVFC 1-1 CCFC FT AVFC 1-2 CCFC
Goals Nathasa Merritt 15, Jade Formaston 21, Emma Hollingsworth 48
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Coventry City's third win at Aston Villa this season has left them only needing a point at Cardiff City on Sunday to qualify for the second round of the WPL League Cup.
Paul Cudby made changes to his side again and saw his charges under some early pressure from Graham Abercrombie's team.
Gina Goulding rasped the bar with a stunning twenty five yarder in the seventh minute but Villa laid seige to the City goal, winning two corners and hitting the post through Wilkinson.
In the 15th minute, Villa took the lead when Natasha Merritt lashed home from the edge of the area.
However, City were only a goal behind in this game played at Boldmere St Michaels FC for six minute and levelled when a poor kick out from Villa keeper Donna Harris fell for Jade Formaston to score with relative ease.
City lost Helen Dermody to injury and Villa lost Merritt to a head injury before the break.
Both side made changes for the second half and in the 48th minute, City won a corner. Emily Simpkins sent the ball right into the mix and Emma Hollingsworth who had a fine game, bundled a loose ball into the net.
Villa,who had left out their top striker in Carly Davies, had run out of ideas and it was City who were more likely to score again in what was a scrappy second half.
Simpkins had a free kick pushed over the bar and substitute Katy Male had another shot saved as the Sky Blues chalked up another deserved victory over Aston Villa.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM