Everton Ladies suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Yeovil Town at Southport’s Merseyrail Community Stadium after the visitors’ late winner against the run of play.
Despite dominating for long periods of the second half, the Blue Girls failed to carve the Glovers open and paid the price when defender Megan Alexander grabbed the winner in the 77th minute to hand Lee Birch’s side all three points.
Willie Kirk’s Everton controlled the match for long periods after ringing the changes at the break with both teams struggling to stamp their mark on a quiet first half. But it was bottom side Yeovil who scored the decisive winner when Alexander’s shot caught Blues stopper Kirstie Levell off guard.
Welsh international Elise Hughes was the only change from the side that narrowly lost out 1-0 to Bristol City Women last weekend, the teenager replacing Emma Brownlie in the starting line-up.
Both sides struggled to enjoy any prolonged period of pressure and clear-cut chances in the first half, but it was Everton who went closest to opening the scoring when Dan Turner raced through on goal on the left only for defender Nic Cousins to make a last-ditch tackle to thwart her effort in the fourth minute.
The visitors went close minutes later, Scottish winger Rachel McLaughlan’s looping shot from outside the box almost punishing the Blues Girls after Siri Worm was caught in possession at the back.
Kirk made the changes at the break to inject some pace into his side as he brought on Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah and Hannah Cain for Siri Worm and Hughes. The tactical changes made an immediate impact with the hosts looking more dangerous.
Cain and Boye-Hlorkah’s pace and direct running caused the Glovers all sorts of trouble, the latter latched onto a long ball from Levell in the 53rd minute with only the goalkeeper to beat, but captain Megan Walsh’s sped out to block the Everton winger’s effort.
Everton suffered a setback in the 56th minute when captain Gabby George had to go off with a hamstring injury. The England international’s replacement Megan Finnigan had an immediate impact. She rose highest to meet Angharad James’ corner minutes later with her stooping header crashing against Walsh’s right-hand post.
Finnigan’s effort seemed to spur the hosts on further as they piled the pressure on Yeovil and dominated possession. In the 68th minute Dutch international midfielder Inessa Kaagman caught a volley from outside the box sweetly but couldn’t keep her attempt on target.
Eight minutes later Yeovil shocked the home crowd when Levell palmed the ball into her own net after being caught unaware by Alexander’s cross-cum-shot despite the Blues Girls being in the ascendancy.
It was backs against the wall from there on for the Glovers as Everton piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser. Kaagman again went close with two minutes left in added time, this time her header was directed straight at Walsh and the hosts’ chances were gone.
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