There is a big difference between WSL1 and WSL2. I’ve been very impressed by WSL1, there’s some real quality within the league. I was in college on Friday and someone suggested that the women’s game should be integrated into the men’s pyramid. That wouldn’t work really but I do think that WSL 1 is probably about step 3 (Evo-Stik Premier) standard. But, the men have a lot more physical strength and playing against them would be a bit unfair. Sunderland have adapted well to WSL1 life. Before tonight, they’d taken 6 points from 5 games. I enjoy watching the women’s game. I much prefer it over the Premier League. It’s relatively cheap, of a good standard and it’s all friendly. Much like the Northern League to be honest! And, the 18:30 kick-offs are quite nice too. A game at 15:00 and a game at 18:30 – perfect. In fact, today I thought about getting 3 games in. Horsely Hill were playing Coundon and Leeholm Youth at Brandon United in a cup final at 11am. I thought about going there and then to Easington and then to Sunderland Ladies. But, I’d originally thought Easington was a 14:30 kick-off, not 14:00 and so I wouldn’t have made it in time for kick-off. I don’t think I’d have bothered going to Brandon anyway. Speaking to someone who went, it didn’t sound a great game, a 95th minute winner gave Horsely Hill a 1-0 win. With plenty of time on my hands, I got the bus back to Peterlee from Easington and then a bus through to Hetton, arriving around 30 minutes before kick-off.
Birmingham City Ladies was formed in 1968 and first played in the Heart of England League before joining the West Midland Regional League in 1974. In 1998 Birmingham City were promoted to the newly created Midland Combination League and in their first season won the league, thus gaining automatic promotion into the National Northern Division. After two seasons, Birmingham gained promotion to the top flight of women’s football, joining the Women’s Premier League. In March 2010 the club was announced as a founder member of the WSL. In the first ever WSL season, Birmingham finished as runners-up to Arsenal having accumulated 8 wins, 5 draws and only one defeat in 14 games. They were involved in the biggest home win that season – Birmingham City 4–0 Bristol Academy. In 2012, Birmingham finished as runners-up once again. This time with 26 points and for the second time, they qualified for the Champions League. They reached the semi-finals of the Champions League that season, only to be beaten by Tyresö of Sweden. Here’s a fun fact. In that competition, UEFA recorded it’s biggest ever aggregate score – 27–0. That came when Wolfsburg put 13 and then 14 past Pärnu JK of Estonia. Wolfsburg beat Tyresö 4-3 in the final that year. Anyway, back to Birmingham. The 2013 campaign was quite as successful for Birmingham as they finished fourth with 5 wins, 3 draws and 6 defeats. Last season they were involved in that magical last day where any of Birmingham, Liverpool and Birmingham could win the title. In the end Liverpool won it on goal difference and Birmingham were a mere point behind but also two places behind with 25 points compared to Liverpool’s 26. This season hasn’t been great for Birmingham and before tonight, they’d played 5, drew 3 and lost 2. In them 5 games there’d only been 4 goals, with 3 0-0’s scattered amongst them. It’s now 103 games since my last 0-0!
Sunderland couldn’t have hoped for a better start as Beth Mead gave them the lead with only 20 seconds on the clock. Birminham kicked off and Freda Ayisi went straight forward from kick-off to lose the ball. Sunderland played it up field, only for it to come straight back to Rachel Furness who sent a through ball through to Beth Mead and the England youth international celebrated her 20th birthday by coolly slotting her first chance into the far corner.
Sunderland Ladies 1-0 Birmingham City Ladies
A Sunderland free-kick was headed wide by Beth Mead on 5 minutes before Birmingham almost pulled level on 6 minutes. Freda Ayisi shrugged Victoria Williams off the ball inside the penalty area before powering a low effort just wide of Rachael Laws’ goal. Birmingham’s Melissa Lawley watched her effort be blocked before the Blues had another good chance on 13 minutes. This time good work from Melissa Lawley saw her play a ball to Kirsty Linnett who fired the ball back across the face of goal but no-one could make any contact on it but the slightest of touches did send it behind for a corner. Kirsty Linnett whipped the resulting corner into the penalty area but the referee spotted a foul on Rachael Laws. Birmingham were applying some real pressure at this point and Freda Ayisi was causing many problems for the Sunderland back-line and on 19 minutes, a lovely chip from Freda Ayisi saw Kirsty Linnett latch onto it but she was unable to get a shot away and Rachael Laws came out to smoother the ball. On 23 minutes, England International Karen Carney got behind a 27-yard free-kick. She stepped up and curled an effort which dipped over the crossbar. Then, Jessica Carter whipped a teasing ball into the Sunderland penalty area but Hayley Sharp was fouled in the process and Sunderland were given a free-kick. Against the run of play, Sunderland doubled their lead on 32 minutes. A hopeful ball found a way to Beth Mead who found herself in the penalty area but slipping over. However, she managed to poke the ball across goal while being on the floor and the rolling ball found Brooke Chaplen who powered into the net from 6 yards to double Sunderland’s lead.
Sunderland Ladies 2-0 Birmingham City Ladies
2 minutes after conceding a second, Birmingham went on the attack through Melissa Lawley. She sprinted down the near side before curling a cross into the penalty area which was almost turned into the net for an own goal but Rachael Laws did well to make sure that the ball was hooked clear. Melissa Lawley headed a ball wide on 36 minutes before Birmingham had a rather weak penalty shout turned down on 37 minutes. Melissa Lawley found herself with the ball at her feet inside the penalty area and Victoria Williams was just about to come in and win the ball when Lawley fell to the floor. Referee Rebecca Welch correctly waved play on and signalled Lawley to get back to her feet. Then, The Blues won a corner. Karen Carney swung it into the penalty area and Jade Moore rose to send a header which hit Hayley Sharp and bounced behind for another. This time, it ended with a shot bouncing on the roof of the house situated behind the goal. Quick flowing football almost saw Sunderland extend their lead even further on 43 minutes but this time Abbey Joice fired just wide. And, with the next chance in the one minute of additional time, Sunderland did manage to make it 3 and it was done in fine fashion. Sunderland won a free-kick in a rather central position 25 yards from goal and Victoria Greenwell stepped up to curl an effort which hit the post before nestling into the net giving Sophie Baggaley no chance.
Sunderland Ladies 3-0 Birmingham City Ladies
Straight after the goal, the half-time whistle blew and Sunderland went into the break with a convincing lead.
Half-time: Sunderland Ladies 3-0 Birmingham City Ladies
Early Birmingham pressure was eventually turned behind for a corner on 48 minutes. It was curled into the penalty area but Sunderland comfortably dealt with the high ball. And then, 9 minutes into the second half, Kirsty Linnett rose to meet Melissa Lawley’s cross but Rachael Laws was equal to Linnett’s headed effort. Birmingham kept pushing to pull one back and it almost came on 58 minutes. Rachael Laws punched a corner behind for a second and this time Kirsty Linnett rose to flick a header towards the back post which beat Laws but a defender was on the line to hack clear. Seconds later, at the other end, Rachel Furness found room to play a ball through to Beth Mead who took a touch before powering just wide of the top corner from 18 yards. A Birmingham City free-kick was then headed clear before Sunderland made the games first substitution on 67 minutes as Emma Kelly replaced Abbey Joice. This substitution stopped Rachael Laws from taking a free-kick and when she did eventually take it, it almost created a good chance. Her free-kick was long and Rachel Furness jumped to flick it onto Beth Mead who dragged a shot wide of the far post. Emma Kelly looked quite lively when she was introduced and on 70 minutes she drove down the wing but was unable to find the decisive pass. A minute later, Victoria Williams went in the referee’s notepad for a foul on Freda Ayisi. Then came a double substitution for Birmingham. Coral-Jane Haines replaced Karen Carney while Kirsty Linnett was forced off injured to be replaced by Remi Allen. Melissa Lawley sent a snap-shot towards goal on 77 minutes as the visitors kept plucking away. In the 82nd minute, Sunderland made their second substitution. This time Brooke Chaplen made way for Natalie Gutteridge. A Birmingham shot from the edge of the penalty area forced a rather routine save from Sunderland’s Rachael Laws and 5 minutes from time, Birmingham made their final substitution as Alex Windell replaced Jade Moore. Only a minute later, Sunderland made their final substitution and this time it was Keira Ramshaw giving way for Rebekah Bass. Kerys Harrop was booked for Birmingham in the dying moments and they had a slight penalty shout not given before Coral-Jade Haines tried her luck with an ambitious overhead kick which sailed over the crossbar. Not too long later, the referee blew for full-time and the 3 points meant that Sunderland Ladies climb to third in the Women’s Super League 1 table.
Full-time: Sunderland Ladies 3-0 Birmingham City Ladies
Next up for me is Hazlerigg Victory vs Lindisfarne Custom Planet Reserves next Saturday after 6 exams in the coming week!
Sunderland Ladies Team: Laws (c), Holmes, Williams, Sharp, Greenwell, McDougall, Chaplen, Furness, Ramshaw, Joice, Mead
Sunderland Ladies Subs: Wilson, McFadden, Gutteridge (On for Brooke Chaplen, 82 minutes), Kelly (On for Abbey Joice, 67 minutes), Bass (On for Keira Ramshaw, 87 minutes), Harkness, Hill
Birmingham City Ladies Team: Baggaley, Carter, Mannion, Harrop, Ayisi, Linnett, Carney, Potter, Moore, Lawley, Westwood
Birmingham City Ladies Subs: Allen (On for Kirsty Linnett, 75 minutes), Windell (On for Jade Moore, 85 minutes), Torkildsen, Haines (On for Karen Carney, 74 minutes), Weston
Admission: Season ticket for me, otherwise, £5/£4 Adults, £2.50 Concessions
Attendance: 438
Programme: £1
Chips: £1.60
Referee: Rebecca Welch
Connor's Football Travels 