Express & Star

Aston Villa denied turnaround win by a late Spurs equaliser

Villa conceded a crushing late equaliser to Tottenham Hotspur in the Women’s Super League.

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Bethany England of Tottenham Hotspur

Beth England scored for Spurs deep into stoppage time after Villa had turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead through Adriana Leon and Rachel Daly.

Villa had piled the pressure on, but could not hold on to their lead in the dying moments of the game.

Manager Robert De Pauw said: “We dominated the game. We have to kill the game.

“One, by making more chances and second, if you are in front in the last minutes, you do the things you need to do to survive.”

They went a goal down at 23 minutes to an Eveliina Summanen penalty and couldn’t hit back until Adriana Leon’s introduction at 67 minutes.

A poor Tottenham clearance was turned over before, with her back to goal, Rachel Daly rolled the ball to Leon’s feet and the Canadian international finished calmly past the keeper for 1-1.

Villa took the lead at 88 minutes when a clever header from Daly tipped the ball over the rushing keeper.

Despite Villa’s attack clicking into gear, England was grab a leveller deep into stoppage time for the game to finish 2-2.

In the Women’s Championship, Birmingham City lost 1-0 to a goal from Durham’s Lily Crosswaithe at 47 minutes and could not break down the Wildcats’ strong defence. The Blues fall to third place, five points behind unbeaten Charlton Athletic.

Head coach Amy Merricks said: “I think we got bullied out of the game and then when we could speed it up, we didn’t do that well enough.

“It allowed them to dictate the game more instead of grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and actually, you know, pushing it forwards.”

Albion demolished near neighbours Stourbridge 5-0 in the National League Northern Premier Division.

Goals came from Hannah George, Simran Jhamat and Ellie May twice, while academy graudate Lucy Davies scored her first goal for the Baggies. Stourbridge now sit only two points above the relegation zone.

Wolves are now four games unbeaten after their 5-2 victory over local rivals Sporting Khalsa.

They kept themselves in the title race, with three teams only a point behind league leaders Nottingham Forest, after goals from Tammi George, Beth Merrick, Anna Morphet and a brace from Amber Hughes.

Khalsa’s Megan Cann and Isobel Redding also scored.

Kidderminster Harriers and Lye Town both won 7-2 in their respective West Midlands League Premier Division games. Harriers beat Knowle Ladies with a hat-trick from Mia Badland, a brace from Senna Robinson and goals from Alex Nicklin and Chloe Whyley.

Lye Town had six different scorers against Leek Town – Macy Fox, Ruth Graham, Molly Cook, Sian Johnson, Michelle Pasco and Chloe Handy (two) all hitting the target. They are a point off the top with a game in hand.

Walsall Wood extended their lead at the top of West Midlands League Division One North with a 1-0 win over Eccleshall.