Chelsea and Lincoln Ladies both secured their first point in the Women’s Super League after a hard-fought 1-1 draw at the Imperial Fields Stadium in Morden.
Defender Sophie Perry’s second-half header cancelled out Carla Cantrel’s opener after 35 minutes and the result sees both sides somewhat bounce back from losing their opening games of the WSL last week.
A fiercely struck free-kick by Lincoln midfielder Sue Smith forced Chelsea ‘keeper Carly Telford into action with only a minute on the clock as the game began in a frantic fashion.
Ashlee Hincks responded for the home side with a low drive that almost bobbled over Kay Hawke in the Lincoln goal, however, the stopper did well to react and cling onto the ball with Cantrel lurking.
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Jess Clarke should have given Rod Wilson’s side the lead on the 15-minute mark but after a long-throw in caused havoc in the Chelsea box, she blazed her effort high over the bar from less than six yards with the goal gaping.
It was then striker Lucy Stanniforth’s turn to fluff her lines for Lincoln, the forward dwelled too long on the ball when sent clean through allowing Blues’ centre-half Gemma Bonner to make a last-ditch tackle and clear the ball for a corner.
Cantrel spared their blushes though as she broke the deadlock on 35 minutes, nodding home Sophie Walton’s flick-on after another long-throw was not dealt with by the Chelsea back-line.
Whatever Chelsea manager Matt Beard said at half-time certainly rallied his side as they immediately drew level after the re-start.
An in-swinging corner by Claire Rafferty found defender Sophie Perry unmarked at the back post, and the centre-back powered a header into the back of the net to draw the sides level.
However Chelsea soon found themselves on the back foot again as Lincoln pressed to regain the lead, with Sue Smith and Sophie Walton testing Telford from range.
The game was marred late on with an injury to Lincoln defender Leandra Little who was carried from the field on a stretcher after jarring her leg to sympathetic applause from the 250-plus crowd.
Lincoln almost snatched all three points right at the death but Stanniforth’s effort clipped the top of the cross bar after a goal-mouth scramble meaning both sides had to settle for a point.
