SUNDAY 7th FEBRUARY 2PM KO
WOMENS SUPER LEAGUE
EVERTON WOMEN 1 BIRMINGHAM WOMEN 1
On a very cold and blustery day, Everton came into this home game v Birmingham hoping to close the gap to the teams higher up, while also hoping to make the gap to the teams behind bigger, Both of those had a big chance of happening, Everton would stay 5th whatever the result though and this was the 3rd home game in a row due to call off's etc, before they then have 4 successive away league games, Everton were hoping to build on a decent 2nd half showing v man utd in this game v a Birmingham team that had 3 away wins from the last 5, and very oddly that when they have won away in there last 5 games they have not conceeded, while when they lose they have not scored in the last 6 they have lost, Everton have not won at Home v Birmingham in the league since 2010 [6 games] but did win a cup game home in 2017, overall Everton have won half the amount of games played v Birmingham but have lost a 3rd of the overall amount
Everton made 3 changes for this game with Korpela replacing Maclver in goal for her 1st league start since Feb 12th last year at Spurs, with Emslie starting her 1st game in 3 months since mid november and Young 17 year old Grace Clinton comming in for Raso been the other change for her 2nd WSL start and her 4th league appearance, Gabby George also returned to the squad for the 1st time since Feb 17th last year after that bad ruptured anterior cruciate ligament , plus Everton had the rare sight of been able to have 9 subs named today
Everton started very well with Sorensen getting down the right wing a few times, but the crosses not been the best, but it was Birmingham who should have been 1 up on 11mins when Murphy again down Birmingham's right finds a lovely low cross. Napier and Whipp are there in the middle unmarked but can't get it past Korpela who held onto it. There More Good build up from Everton down the left with Moe Wold meeting a cleared cross outside the box on 17mins.Everton were not really threatening the goal enough, but after a foul right on the edge of the 18 yard area dead centre on Sevecke, Everton took the lead with a super low free kick from Dan Turner on 23mins, Everton had further chances with Emslie headig=ng wide but could not quite get to it to be fair, and Gauvin having shot blocked, but on 33mins Birmingham were given a pen maybe harshly when a shot from yards away was blocked with Izzy christiansen maybe more blocking her face, Up steped Ex Toffee Forward Claudia walker who saw her pen saved low to Korpela's right but the ball was bundled over the line by the onrushing birmingham player Jamie Lee Napier to as ever what ever level score her 1st goal for Birmingham, But it was 1-1 at Half time with Everton having much of the ball but with clear cut chances been few.
Everton again started brightly the 2nd half with Sub Raso having a shot blocked on the edge of the area, Lehmann breaking down the left getting into the are and her cross could not be controlled by Gauvin who was on the 6 yard box, Christiansen then shot from the edge of the area but it was easy for Birmingham keeper Hannah Hampton after a deflection., A Raso cross just about been stoped by the keeper on 57mins after nearly sneaking in, Grace Clinton then had a header again easy for the Brum keeper after the cross by Wold after good play by Raso, Lehmann again got a decent cross in by Raso free at the back post could not control it, on 68mins Raso curled an excellent ball across the face of goal, but no one was there to even get a chance to get on the end of the powerful cross, Everton were well on top but were not working the Birmingham keeper anywhere near enough, on 73mins Dan Turner again stood over a free kick but this time fired it straight into the wall, Jill scott then headed wide from a Izzy Christiansen Corner on 78mins, on 90mins Everton win a corner down the left. The delivery from Christiansen is headed on by Finnigan which deflects of a birmingham player onto the top of the bar, but the game ended 1-1 and it was 2 points dropped in reality, Everton stay 5th but are now level with 6th placed Reading who pulled off a shock away win at man utd for masn utd's 1st home lost in 13months,while 2nd placed chelsea also has a surprise home defeat for their 1st lost in 33games, the next game for Everton away to Reading next week at 2pm sunday
EVERTON SCORER DANIELLE TURNER
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BIRMINGHAM SOCRER JAMIE LEE NAPIER
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EVERTON TEAM V BIRMINGHAM WOMEN
Korpela, Wold, Turner, Finnigan, Sevecke, Emslie, Christiansen, Scott, Sorensen, Clinton, Guavin,
Subs Maclver, George, Magil, Clemaron, Stringer, Boye-Hlorkah, Graham, Lehmann, Raso
EVERTON HT SUB
Lehmann & Raso on for Sorensen and Emslie
EVERTON SUB ON 65MINS
Graham & Magill on for Clinton & Gauvin
EVERTON SUB ON 83MINS
Stringer on for Wold
Referee: Lisa Benn
Assistant Referee: Jake Topp
Assistant Referee: Georgia Ball
Fourth Official: Rebecca Welch