Aston Villa 0-2 Manchester United
Aston Villa Women’s third competitive game against Manchester United after being against Casey Stoney’s team in their first game that ended in a 0-12 victory for them at Boldmere. Our second game was a game where we lost 5-0 in a game at Leigh Sports that saw Manchester United get promoted to the FAWSL. So in two games we had played against them we had conceded 17 goals and not looked like we could even truly compete with them. A mindset would look at this fixture and fear and I know the fans would wonder if we could truly match up against them. I’ve seen comments like let’s do it again, let’s score 8 and so on. It’s a mentaltiy that matches the table and form with Manchester United now sitting top of the FAWSL and Villa sitting 1 above bottom. The team that stepped out against Manchester United would only have 2 remaining from the original squad against Manchester United in Elisha N’Dow and Sophie Haywood.
Manchester United to be fair to them have built there squad from day one and added world class players such as Tobin Heath and Jackie Groenen internationally world and euro winners in their own rights. Players such an Ella Toone who I still remember seeing for Blackburn Rovers saying that she would be something special and she is on that route as she improves every season. But enough about Manchester United, we was missing Stine Larsen who hopefully is well and recovering on her self isolation from international duty with Denmark but apart from that we had a full squad to choose from.
The game itself was always going to be a tough encounter and Skybet had Villa at 16/1 to win the game so the eyes on it had an opinion it was going to be a easy Manchester United win. But Villa would make it tough for them and not only held on in the game but also forced them onto the back foot at times. It’s a shame we couldn’t get a goal, a first goal against Manchester United but we came very close. At 0-1 we hit the crossbar and looked like we could pull something back but finishing the game without a proper Striker saw a mistake give Manchester United a chance to get a 0-2 lead near the end and collect the 3 points.
Photo from @AVWFCOFFICIAL on twitter
The match kicked off in a empty stadium once again as the Villa fans wait to see them play a game in the FAWSL. Manchester United were always going to be the team that would be on the front foot from the start. Lauren James nearly opened the scoring as her effort zipped past the post an early warning for Villa. An early exit for Jackie Groenen was needed after a hefty challenge and do hope she is ok and well. Villa showed they wasn’t going to a walkover as they pushed forward but couldn’t make anything of notice. But it was a fingertip save by Lisa Weiss off Ella Toone that kept the score at 0-0. Ella Franklin-Fraiture put in a lovely floated cross but no one was there to get the touch on it for Aston Villa. Manchester United were making the most chances but not really troubling Lisa Weiss in the Villa goal.
The 22nd minute the deadline was broken as Hayley Ladd found Leah Galton whose touch was sublime just like her finish to give Manchester United the 0-1 lead. Villa seemed to have a little wobble after the goal but it wasn’t for long but Ella Toone was causing trouble once again as Lisa Weiss pulled off a save down low. It was Villa who created the next chance as Shania Hayles showed her pace and touch as she hit the ball goal bound but a diving Mary Earps kept the ball out with her body. A beautiful ball by Natalie Haigh nearly saw Emma Follis in behind the United defence but Mary Earps had read it and come off her line to stop the attack.The final half chance of the half saw Lisa Weiss have to come and punch away a dangerous corner but it came to nothing as the score was 0-1 at half time. Villa had created enough and defended well enough to still be in the game and making things hard for Manchester United. Sophie Haywood and Shania Hayles were stand out players through the first 45 minutes.
The second half got underway Tobin Heath was the creator of the first chance of the half as Ella Toone’s effort was blocked between Natalie Haigh and Lisa Weiss as it looked liked the score was about to become 0-2. Emma Follis had a cheeky effort on the edge of the box which called Mary Earps into a diving save as Villa showed they wasn’t going to go away without a fight. Caroline Siems broke into the box and dinked a ball to Shania Hayles and some great defending meant to effort looped up and hit the bar as Villa went lose to drawing level on the 50th minute of the game. About 2 minutes later it was Lauren James turn to unleash a power shot at the Villa goal which cannoned off the underside of the bar.
Ella Toone was so lively and so troublesome all game as she was causing the Villa defence troubles. United thankfully seemed quite wasteful along with some good defending saw Lisa Weiss not under too much pressure in the Villa goal. We nearly came level with a fantastic run by Ella Franklin-Fraiture as she hit her effort and it went wide of the post. Some cracking defending by Ella Franklin-Fraiture at the other end showed how key she is at both ends as Ella Toone once again put in a ball and if it was for Ella’s reading and touch it would of been 0-2 as Leah Galton looked ready to smash it home at the far post. The substitutions for Villa didn’t seem to really help the game or their play as it was Manchester United taking shots and effort from range near the end of the game. We finished the game without a out and out striker as Ramona Petzelberger was pushed to be our Striker. The game was crying out for a Nadine Hanssen appearance but we didn’t get it.
Ella Toone once again worked her way with the ball at her feet to shoot but her effort was saved by Lisa Weiss as we entered the final 4 minutes of the game. Tobin Heath dropped her shoulder and cut inside like she does so well but Caroline Siems (who was fantastic to nullify the threat of Heath all game) got across to block her and conceded a corner. The final moments of the game was when Tobin Heath looked to be in behind and Lisa Weiss did the first part so well in getting off her line and beating Heath to it but she couldn’t sort her feet out as the ball broke to Ella Toone who expertly lofted the ball into the back of the net to give Manchester United the 0-2 lead. In honesty a goal she truly deserved all game as she was fantastic.
The final whistle went and honestly I was proud now some people might wonder how can be proud that we didn’t win and that we didn’t score but this was a game that again as mentioned early alot had written our team off. But we showed grit and muster as we made it hard for the team sitting top of the League. We came close to scoring and caused them troubles at the back, i wasn’t a fan of the changes as seemed a bit confusing and maybe killed our momentum but overall we put a real shift in and these next 3 games are so key away to Bristol City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham hopefully we can end the year on a high and get some points away from home.
Also one final thing is I hope anyone who reads this is well, safe and looking forward to when we can finally return. To any Manchester United fan that might read this take care of Ella Toone because she is a future England legend for sure.
#UTV
Photo from @AVWFCOFFICIAL on twitter
Substitutions For Aston Villa
Diana Silva On For Emma Follis (57)
Chloe Arthur On For Sophie Haywood (67)
Emily Syme On For Marisa Ewers (80)
Jodie Hutton On For Shania Hayles (80)
