Stirring performance against City goes unrewarded

An impressive and dominant display went unrewarded against Manchester City on Sunday as we were narrowly beaten 2-1 in the Barclays Women's Super League.

Looking to end a run of three games without a win, we flew out of the traps at Brisbane Road, causing the Citizens all kinds of problems in the opening stages only to fall behind on 11 minutes as Vivianne Miedema crashed home a header against the run of play.

Undeterred by going behind, we continued to apply ourselves well and deservedly got back on terms just after the half hour mark as Bethany England produced an unerring finish for her eighth of the campaign and while we had opportunities after the break, Ashleigh Neville produced a spectacular acrobatic goalline clearance to deny the visitors the lead.

Despite our brave performance, we were unable to stop Aoba Fujino's wicked half volley with 12 minutes remaining on the clock to restore City's advantage. Although, with the final kick of the game, England had a great opportunity to secure a point, but Ayaka Yamashita was a match to her effort, claiming the ball bravely in the six-yard box.

Robert Vilahamn made six changes to the team that started against Arsenal last time out which included two returnees to the starting XI, Ella Morris and Eveliina Summanen, who both had long spells on the sidelines due to injury, and the duo went close in the opening minutes of the game as we made a strong start to proceedings in the capital.

Making her first appearance since the turn of the year, Summanen fired an effort on the half-volley straight into the hands of Yamashita before Morris sent a fierce left-footed strike, from around 20 yards out, just narrowly over the bar in the opening 10 minutes, however, despite our positive display in the opening stages, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the 11th-minute.

The lively Fuijino delivered a cross from the right into the middle of the box and Miedema rose highest to head home, and City’s number eight was full of confidence after that, breezing past Morris on the left area of the box, but she recovered well to perform a last-ditch tackle to deny the Netherlands international. We were forced into an early change just before half hour mark as Martha Thomas, who was involved in a collision in the opening minutes, was unable to continue and replaced by Olivia Holdt, and she would make an instant impact on the game.

After some great pressing from England and Charlotte Grant, forcing Laia Aleixandri to play the ball back into the box, Holdt reacted quickest to square the ball to our captain just inside the box and she sent a looping effort over Yamashita into the far corner. With the momentum now in our stride, we looked to take the lead on the stroke of half time as Matilda Vinberg's corner caused mayhem inside the box which saw a header from England cleared off the line.

Vinberg wasted a golden opportunity just before the hour mark, dragging her effort wide after Holdt's brilliant ball over the top played our number 13 one-on-one with City's keeper, while at the other end, Neville produced an unbelievable goalline clearance as she acrobatically denied Miedema's header that was destined for the back of the net, with the ball crashing against the underside of the crossbar before being claimed by Kop.

Our shot stopper had to be alert in the final quarter-of-an-hour, getting down low to her right to keep out Kerstin Casprij's side-footed volley but, despite our brave performance to this point, it was the visitors who retook the lead with 12 minutes remaining on the clock as Hasegawa played the ball to Fuijno inside the box, who cut inside on to her left-foot before unleashing a wicked half volley past Kop and into the far corner.

We continued to push for a leveller in the final proceedings and, in the last seconds of the game, England was inches away from securing a point as Morris' low cross landed at the feet of our captain in the penalty box, but Yamashita was in the right place at the right time to claim her first-time effort, leaving us without a win in three WSL game despite the impressive performance throughout the 90 minutes.

Match data

Goals:  Spurs – England 32; City – Miedema 11, Fujino 78.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Spence 45+3.

Referee: Amy Fearn.

Venue: Brisbane Road.

Weather: Sunny, nine degrees.

Attendance: 2119.