Birmingham 2-1 Liverpool
Women’s Super League
BIRMINGHAM City Ladies ended their 2016 Women’s Super League home campaign with a hard fought victory over Liverpool on Sunday to move up fourth in the league table.
Corina Schroder marked her debut with a goal and skipper Kerys Harrop also got on the scoresheet as David Parker’s side a fourth home win of the season.
Parker gave German defender Schroder her eagerly anticipated debut at left back while Kirsty Linnett started up front alongside Freda Ayisi.
The visitors started the match brightly and Sophie Baggley was called into action on 15 minutes when Emma Lundh got on the end of a cross from the right and hit an effort goalwards but the Blues goalkeeper made an important save, at the Liverpool striker was judged to have made a foul.
Rosie White had a great chance to break the deadlock on 23 minutes when she found space in the area and turned her marker but deflected shot drifted inches wide of the goal.
Liverpool continued to have the better of the chances and came close again with 36 minutes when Laura Coombes shot from long range but Baggely gathered the ball at the second attempt.
As half-time neared the home side began to find their feet with Mel Lawley delivering a dangerous free kick from right which was eventually cleared before the best chance of the half fell to Kirsty Linnett three minutes before the break.
Lawley broke free down the right and delivered a deep cross to the far post for Linnett who was waiting but she somehow headed wide of the target when it looked easier to score.
Parker’s side picked up where they left off after the break and five minutes after the re-start they got their noses in front.
Schroder made it a debut to remember when the ball fell kindly to her just left of the penalty shot and she beat Liverpool goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain with a low finish.
The lead however did not last long as Liverpool got themselves back on level terms when Rosie White was brought down inside the area by Chloe Peplow and Katie Zelem fired home the resultant spot kick.
Despite conceding Blues heads did not drop and with 20 minutes remaining the took the lead for the second time in the match when Jess Carter delivered a long throw into the box and skipper Kerys Harrop sent a looping header into the back of the net.
Liverpool dug deep to find a way back into the match but it was the hosts who almost stretched their lead as Linnett was played through on goal but Sophie Ingle made a superb last ditch tackle.
At the other end Shanice Van de Sanden hit a shot into the side netting and the Liverpool winger had another chance moments later when she attempted to chip Baggaley but the Blues keeper did well to tip the ball over for a corner.
There was to be one final chance for the visitors as the ball dropped kindly for Zelem in the area deep into five minutes of added on time but her effort from 16 yards out sailed over the bar.
Attendance: 1,306
Team: Baggaley, Carter, Harrop (c), Ayisi (Wellings 83), Linnett, Stringer, Lawley, Peplow (Windell 72), Schroder (Sargeant 68), Haines, Mannion
Subs not used – Linden, Johnson
