West Ham United women's team 2-3 Aston Villa
Barclays Women's Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 19 November, 3pm GMT
West Ham United women’s team were beaten by a last-gasp Rachel Daly goal on Sunday afternoon in the Barclays Women’s Super League, as Aston Villa ran out 3-2 winners at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Former Hammer Daly scored the eventual winner in the 92nd minute of a contest in which the Hammers had dominated for certain spells.
Viviane Asseyi opened the scoring from the penalty spot after another former Hammer, Adriana Leon had brought down Kirsty Smith. However, three minutes later, Anna Patten headed in from a set piece to bring the game level heading into half time.
Leon got on the scoresheet as the home side failed to deal with another set piece. Patten won a flick on that fell into the path of the Canadian, who fired home.
Lisa Evans entered the field and scored a sensational goal to bring the tie back level on 80 minutes. Her half-volley nestled in the top corner to set up a ferocious end to the game
However, it would be the Villans that would go home with all three points, as Daly found the back the net with only minutes to spare with a superb effort.
The Hammers started well in east London, with Hawa Cissoko making a positive driving run that was continued by Kirsty Smith. The full back delivered a fantastic ball to the back post for Emma Harries to attack, but she couldn’t steer her head to make contact.
Moments later and Daphne van Domselaar was scrambling to get across her goal after Riko Ueki decided to shot quickly. The shot from the Japanese international landed narrowly wide of the post.
Rehanne Skinner’s side were causing issues for the Villa backline from wide areas, particularly from Smith and Risa Shimizu, who delivered a barrage of brilliant deliveries in the opening ten minutes.
On 16 minutes, another dangerous ball found the head of Ueki, who’s downward header forced van Domselaar into her first save of the afternoon, as she pushed the forward’s firm header away from danger.
The Irons had looked dangerous through Smith on the left, and her footwork fooled Leon into tripped her inside the area, with referee Keith Stroud pointing to the spot. Asseyi stepped up and made no mistake from 12-yards to give Skinner’s side a deserved lead inside 27 minutes.
The lead was short-lived however, as a delivery from Dali was met by Patten at the back post, who bundled home an equaliser four minutes after Asseyi had opened proceedings.
The momentum then swung the way of visitors, and Leon thought she’d made up for conceding the penalty kick by putting her side in front, only for the flag to go up on the near side. The Canadian was involved again moments later, forcing her former teammate Mackenze Arnold into a fantastic save at her near post to keep her team ahead.
In the second half, a set piece delivery again caused the Hammers issues at the back. Goalscorer Patten rose highest, heading the ball back across in the path of Leon, who swung with her left foot and found the opposite corner with her first-time effort.
After a period of little action, some quick thinking from Cooke almost allowed Ueki a chance to draw level. She launched a quick free-kick into a dangerous area, but van Domselaar was alive to the danger and was able to collect at the feet of the forward.
On 80 minutes, substitute Evans bagged what looked likely to be the goal that would mean the points were shared. After a corner kick was only half-cleared, the ball came across the body of Evans and she let fly, finding the opposite corner in style.
However, it wouldn’t be the last action of the game, as Daly reacted first to a knockdown from Ebony Salmon and wrapped her left foot around the ball, guiding it into the top corner of the net.
West Ham United: Arnold, Shimizu, Tysiak, Cooke, Cissoko, Smith, Stringer, Filis, Harries (Evans 74), Asseyi, Ueki.
Unused Subs: Walsh, Atkinson, Ziu, Denton, Stapleton, Ademiluyi, Flannery
Goals: Asseyi 27, Evans 80
Yellow Cards: Stringer 39, Filis 49, Cooke 85
Aston Villa: van Domselaar, Mayling, Patten, Corsie ©, Daly, Dali (Staniforth 94), Turner, Blindkilde-Brown (Nobbs 46), Hanson (Salmon 69), Leon (Lehmann 88), Pacheco.
Unused Subs: Leat, Staniforth, McLoughlin, Mullett, Magill.
Goals: Patten 31, Leon 50, Daly 92
Yellow Cards: Mayling 21, Daly 85, Nobbs 94
Attendance: 1406
Referee: Keith Stroud
