Albion end year on disappointing note

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Terland hits the crossbar but Melissa Phillips' side were beaten 1-0 by Aston Villa in the WSL on Sunday.

Richie Mills

2023-12-17T20:56:00Z

Tatiana Pinto in full stride during the first half.

Albion ended the year with a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League despite a battling effort at Bescot Stadium on Sunday night.

Adriana Leon’s second-half goal proved the difference as the Villans, who had Maz Pacheco sent off late on, leapfrogged Melissa Phillips’ side into ninth in the WSL.

Elisabeth Terland went closest for the visitors, who had 38% possession and seven shots to the hosts’ 18, when her effort rattled the crossbar, but they could have few complaints about the loss.

Albion were unbeaten on the road against Villa in the WSL with two wins and one draw from three games but the hosts seemed determined to end that streak as they dominated the first half.

Maria Thorisdottir made a brilliant goalline block to deny last season's top scorer Rachel Daly and then Kenza Dali fizzed a powerful drive inches over the frame of the goal from range.

Katie Robinson is challenged by United defender Lisa Naalsund.

Following a flurry of chances that kept goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley busy, a rare opportunity fell to Poppy Pattinson, but the left-back couldn’t keep her shot down from 12 yards.

The hosts looked to have taken the lead in the 32nd minute when Baggaley couldn’t hold Daly's piledriver from the edge of the box and Leon slotted home the rebound - but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Rachel Corsie, Jordan Nobbs, and Daly spurned good chances for Carla Ward's side but Terland went closest to breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half time when her 20-yard chip cannoned off the crossbar.

The home team bided their time and took a deserved lead when Leon evaded the clutches of Pattinson and then slotted through the legs of Baggaley from a tight angle in the 63rd minute.

Villa had dropped 12 points from winning positions in the WSL this season, the most of any side, but Albion struggled to create clear-cut chances to trouble goalkeeper Anna Leat.

Pascal Gross is closing in on Mesut Ozil's record for the most Premier League goal involvements by a German player.

The New Zealand stopper breathed a sigh of relief, however, when Terland flashed a fierce shot just past the post from inside the penalty area 12 minutes from time.

Albion pushed for an equaliser and were given fresh hope when Pacheco received her second yellow card in the 89th minute but it wasn't enough as they ended the year on a disappointing note.

The defeat means Phillips' team have won just one of their last nine league matches (two draws and six losses) but there are still positives to take from the first half of the season.

To kickstart 2024, the Sussex side travel to Luton Town – the lowest ranked team left in the competition - in the FA Cup fourth round on 14 January before returning to WSL action at home to Bristol City a week later.