LOCAL Bragging rights remain firmly with Birmingham City Ladies after they thrashed rivals Aston Villa 7-1 in the Women’s Super League Continental Tyres Cup.
A dominant display by the Blues saw Jo Potter and Remi Allen both bag a brace at Sutton Coldfield last Thursday night in what was the club’s biggest result of the season so far.
Dave Parker selected strong line-up with England trio Karen Carney, Jade Moore and Jo Potter all starting, while Kirsty Linnett led the line up front.
The hosts had the first real chance on goal when Elisha N’Dow was given time and space to bring the ball down inside the area but her shot was week and comfortable for Rebecca Spencer in the Blues goal.
As the game progressed Carney was beginning to cause the hosts problems down the left and she tested Jess Myers with a free kick from 35 yards.
Carney tested Myers again on 19 minutes with another long range effort and Linnett came within a whisker of opening the scoring four minutes later but she was unable to get a touch to Lawley’s dangerous cross from the right.
England star Carney sent a free kick from 25 yards out narrowly wide but the breakthrough finally came on 27 minutes when Carney delivered an inch perfect cross which was met by Remi Allen and the Blues midfielder poked the visitors in front with a neat finish.
On 34 minutes Allen wasted a chance to score her second when she was picked out by Carney again but this time her shot sailed way over the crossbar.
At the other end Mollie Rouse had a chance to equalise for Villa but her low shot from the edge of the area easy for Spencer in the Blues goal.
A second goal for the Blues eventually came three minutes before the break when Lawley did well to burst clear down the right and her pull back found Linnett who finished from close range.
And right on the stroke of half-time Carney was bought down by Lauren Haynes inside the area and the England star sent Myers the wrong way to but the visitors firmly in control at the break.
Villa knew they had to make a positive start after half-time to be in with a chance of getting anything out of the match and they did just that when Katie Wilkinson unleashed a superb long range shot that clipped the top of the crossbar.
At the other end Potter came close to making it 4-0 but her shot was well saved by Myers and moments later Allen had a shot that was deflected inches wide of goal.
Potter came close again with a clever chip shot the whistled over the bar after more good work down the right by Carney and Lawley went on a maizing run before forcing Myers into a smart save.
A fourth goal was imminent and it came on the hour mark when Allen scored her second of the match with a close range finish to all but secure the win with 30 minutes remaining.
The visitors refused to take their foot off the gas as Carney clipped the crossbar before breaking free down the left and cutting the ball back for Potter who stroked home her first goal of the match with a powerful finish into the top left-hand corner of the net.
Potter came close from a long range free kick and Lawley had a shot blocked on the line as the visitors pressed for sixth.
And it came with 15 minutes remaining courtesy of Potter who unleashed a delightful curling shot from just outside the area which nestled into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Parker made a triple change eight minutes from time with Allen, Carney and Moore all being replaced by Coral-Jade Haines, Charlie Wellings and Emily Westwood.
The hosts had struggled to get out of their own half for much of the second period and they created their first notable chance when Bethan Merrick forced Spencer into a low diving save four minutes from time.
And from the resulting corner Wilinson rose well to head the ball past Spencer and earn the hosts a late consolation goal.
But it was Blues who had the final say deep into injury-time when Lawley counter attacked down the right and had the vision to pick out Wellings in front of goal and the substitute had the easy task of firing home from close range to complete the rout.
