Bristol Academy started the new FA WSL season with a 4 – 1 victory away to Liverpool on a difficult pitch at Skelmersdale United.
Liverpool created the first chance of the game after a couple of minutes when Katie Brusell’s shot from the edge of the area went straight into Siobhan Chamberlain’s hands.
The Vixen’s first chance of the game fell after seven minutes when Bristol broke out of their own half and Mel Lawley fed the ball into Jess Fishlock’s path who put the ball just past the on-coming Aroon Clansey in the Liverpool goal and just wide of the post.
Bristol won the ball back from the resulting goal kick and almost got a second when Liverpool’s Michelle Evans cleared a dangerous cross from Natasha Harding.
Twenty minutes into the game the Vixens were forced into making their first change as Harding and Sam Chappell clashed heads.
The Vixen’s were now on top of the game and were awarded a penalty when an over hit corner from Corrine Yorston found Nikki Watts at the back post whose shot was handled by Cheryl Forster. Fishlock stepped up and slotted the ball into the net.
Just after the goal Liverpool almost brought the score back level when Evan’s free kick took a deflection through the Vixen’s wall and forced Chamberlain to parry the ball away to her right hand side.
Half Time: Liverpool 0 – 1 Bristol Academy
Straight after the break Bristol doubled the lead when Laura del Rio forced a good save from Clansey and from the resulting corner, Fishlock beat Clansey at the near post direct from the corner.
Evans again denied the Vixens a third goal when she blocked Grace McCatty’s shot from inside the area. A Fishlock corner found Nikki Watts at the back post whose looping header went over substitute goalkeeper Nicky Davies.
Chamberlain was again forced to make a double save from Katie Brusell and Kelly Jones in a dramatic goalmouth scramble and Jemma Rose then cleared the ball off the line to deny Liverpool scoring.
Del Rio almost made it four when her fierce free kick forced a good save from Davies. Moments after Del Rio was involved with the fourth goal when her through ball fell into the path of Lawley who slotted the ball past the on coming Davies.
Liverpool got a goal back with a minute to go when Nicky Twohig placed the ball past Chamberlain.
The game ended in controversy when McCatty was sent off for allegedly kicking out at a Liverpool player. A confrontation then broke out between both sets of players, which resulted in Yorston also being sent off.
FAWSL.com, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
