Aston Villa Women 2019/2020
So as the 18/19 season came to an end things were on the up after a hard beginning, but the results were starting to come as the season came to an end with only 2 losses in the final 12 games, and those loses came against West Ham United and Manchester United. We had heard rumors that it was going to be a very different season after Christan Purslow had claimed he wanted Aston Villa Women to be the best team in the midlands and surpass Birmingham City in the Women’s Super League. In Preseaon alot of changes happened with players coming and going. When we signed Marisa Ewers from Birmingham City that sent out a huge statement. We knew the expectations would go from taking part to promotion. Ella Franklin-Fraiture, Melissa Johnson, Emma Follis, Emily Syme, Charlotte Greengrass, Shania Hayles and Natalie Haigh joined with Daniella Kosinska adding to our squad and then finally near the end of the season Sophie Maierhofer joined near the end and made her debut against Coventry United. Making it 10 players in and 10 players out for this season.
With so many of our favourites leaving and moving on this season it was a sad time as we had been through the season before with them, through the hard times and the good times. Players such as Tanisha Smith, Ali Hall, Hollie Gibson, Hayley Crackle, Ria Elsmore, Ashlee Brown, Aja Aguirre and Tash Baptiste. But as the season started we also lost Aoife Hurley and Phoebe Warner became dual loaned with Nottingham Forest. The way of football since being a Aston Villa Women’s fan is you lose the players you love but so many at one time defiantly hurt but through the season have managed to get to see most of them play in other teams.
Preseason we got to attend a few and a few were behind closed doors but we started with a 5-0 victory over Stoke City, also attended the 2-1 win over everton and the nottingham forest away game. The behind closed doors games included West Ham United and some other games. I believe a victory over West Ham and of course the everton win would set us in good set for the upcoming season when it got under way with a game at home to Sheffield United. Same as last season but this time the game coming in the Women’s Championship instead of the Continental Cup. The draw was made for the Continental Cup also that seemed to give us a real chance to get through the group stage for the first time and into the knockout rounds.
When Preseason ended it was time to head down to Boldmere and get the season underway, Sheffield United returned to which the season before we had built a friendly rivalry with and as it would show throughout the season would be our biggest test also. Olivia Fergusson, Maddy Cusack and the prolific Katie Wilkinson would return in the opening fixture. A game that looked like we were truly up against it when 2 of the 3 players scored to give Sheffield a 0-2 lead from Olivia Fergusson and Katie Wilkinson. But Villa battled back into the game to take the win 3-2 with a hatrick from Melissa Johnson. Our second game of the season was an away trip to London City Lionesses where we would get to see fan favorite Elizabeta Ejupi (To me the best player in Championship still) and it would be Amy West that opened the scoring for Villa with a 0-1 lead early on. But as we knew and as we had said many times Elizabeta Ejupi scored a brace to give London City the 2-1 lead with a free kick and a header. Villa were down and not out as they showed their character once again when Shania Hayles came on the pitch and brought us level before super Centre Back Natalie Haigh headed us into the lead again taking home another 2-3 victory.
The highlights above were provided by Blackburn Rovers Youtube Channel, from Aston Villa Women’s showcase game at Villa Park where 1,261 attended the game against newly promoted Blackburn Rovers. A 2-1 victory kept Aston Villa rolling at the start of the season, Melissa Johnson gave Villa the lead with her 4th of the season and Marisa Ewers got her goal scoring tally underway for Villa also. But Blackburn were trying to spoil Villa’s day as they pulled one back instantly but Villa went on to manage the game and come out 2-1 winners. The 4th game of the season was an away trip to the lovely Crystal Palace (I’m only saying this because at that time they had Ella Rutherford, Aoife Hurley and Ashleigh Goddard) but an incredible performance in our debut in the blue away kit. a 0-6 victory saw Melissa Johnson bag her second hatrick, Emma Follis reopened her Villa account after she’d resigned. Amy West scored a worldie (it’s what she does) and Shania Hayles netted her second of the season. For me picking out of our games this was the best performance I’d seen. Palace had good players but Villa was so clinical and like a well oiled machine.
The first loss of the season came in the opening game of the Continental Cup away to Durham in a game that ended 3-0 to the hosts and put a real dent in if Villa could make it through the group stage in the tournament. Another away game followed with a game at The Valley on a lovely day (a lovely day for otters) we missed the first half being stuck in traffic and Melissa Johnson’s opening goal. But when we arrived a great bloke on security dealt with us as the box office had closed but in the second half, another 2 goals for Melissa Johnson sealing her third hatrick of the season and her 10th goal and a goal by Emma Follis saw a 0-4 victory in what was Daniella Kosinska’s debut game as well for Villa, our little Polish Superstar between the posts. It was time for our second game against Sheffield United in the Continental Cup that saw a 3-1 victory for our team. Jade Richards was on hand to head home a corner to give Villa the 1-0 lead before our own Tigger, Emily Syme opened her account for Villa as she scored a solo effort before celebrating. Shania Hayles added her third of the season to make it 3-0. Daniella Kosinska tried to keep back to back clean sheets but after she saved Jade Pennock’s first effort she couldn’t do nothing about the rebound. Late on into injury time saw Sheffield awarded a penalty and a lifeline with Jade Richards seeing red for the challenge also. But Daniella Kosinska was convinced to make sure she won her second game in a row as she pulled off a diving save to stop any nerves in the last moments of the game.
Durham returned to Boldmere to take on Aston Villa and a hard fought game saw both teams share the spoils in a 1-1 draw. It wasn’t going to plan in the first 10 minutes after Durham took an early lead but Nadine Hanssen managed to keep the unbeaten run going just before the hour. It was back to Continental Cup and our toughest test of the season no doubt so far as we welcomed Vicky Jepsen’s Super League team. But Villa never looked like being troubled with an early goal from Emma Follis and a late goal from Emily Syme it was a victory to savoir in the season. The Continental Cup was back in our hands to get through.
The next two games came against our local rivals in the league, newly promoted Coventry United, welcoming back Hayley Crackle, a legend even though she might don the other badge now. The first game Shania Hayles gave Villa the lead before Shannon O’Brien the ex Villa RTC player pulled Coventry back level. But Nadine Hanssen was firing on all cylinders through out the game and gave us the lead once again at 1-2. And a wonder goal and wonder celebration by Kerri Welsh saw us take a 1-3 lead but Coventry didn’t make it easy for us as they pulled back another goal to make it 2-3. Three days later It was another trip to Butts Arena Park. Coventry United in the Continental Cup and once again it was a tough affair, Phoebe Warner with speed and haste gave us a lead in the first minute but less than 3 minutes later it was back level. Coventry United took the lead before half time but Sophie Haywood pulled us back into the game just before the hour at 2-2. It would be a defeat for the Villa Women on penalty’s 3-1 and you couldn’t begrudge Coventry something out of the two games.
Back to Championship action saw Lewes visit Boldmere and a tight affair was sealed with a Nadine Hanssen goal just before the hour mark in a 1-0 win to keep the run going in the league campaign. A trip away to The Hive was next on the card’s and Amy West opened the scoring for Villa but Lauren Pickett made Villa pay just before half time to go into the break at 1-1. A great free kick by Emma Follis saw Villa walk away with a 1-2 win to keep up the 100% record. One of the moment’s of the season came when Leicester City came to visit after getting a taxi from Coventry and a Ola driver trying to break the sound barrier for me, Amy West, the best is the west because West is the best was Captain West. But a very tough game from an improving J.Morgan team. It was 0-0 up till a wunderbar goal by Marisa Ewers on the 78th minute. Melissa Johnson got a goal against her old team to make it 2-0 but Leicester wasn’t to make the last few minutes easy as they pulled back making it 2-1 in the 89th minute. But as Leicester attacked a goal by Shania Hayles in injury time gave Villa a 3-1 win.
The final Continental Cup game would come at home to Blackburn Rovers with a chance to get through to the next round. Villa came out the blocks fast being 2-0 up within 12 minutes, Kerri Welsh opened the score and a glorious stirke from Charlotte Greengrass put Villa in the driving seat. Blackburn pulled one back on the 31st minute but it was 3-1 just after half time with Shania Hayles hitting the back of the net once again. Amy West got another goal for the team before Blackburn pulled it back to 4-2 before Melissa Johnson added to her tally to make it 5-2. An electrifying performance for sure that saw the lights go out with a delay before we could finish the game. History was made as we had made it past the first stage of the Continetal Cup and a date with Chelsea upcoming.
One of the biggest rivals and after a tough game away was up next as we welcome Elizabeta Ejupi back to Boldmere, hoping we could make it an easier affair than last time. It didn’t start as planned as London City took the lead within 6 minutes after a Ellie Mason goal. But London City only lead for 5 minutes as Emma Follis pulled Villa back level. Emily Syme put us ahead after 26 minutes before Marisa Ewers made up for her penalty miss in the first half. Giving Aston Villa the third goal and walking away with 3 points. Villa ended the year on a high before coming up against Sheffield United. Villa came away with the 3 points with a Emma Follis goal as we came away with a 0-1 victory.
The next game was a game against Women’s Super League, Chelsea. Villa defiantly did themselves prove but it was a step too far right now as they lost 3-1 as Kerri Welsh bagged a conciliation goal before the end of the game. The Women’s FA Cup was up next and after the last few years having a decent run in the tournament we fell at the first hurdle to Women’s Super League’s Brighton in a 2-3 defeat. Brighton took the lead on the 11th minute from ex Villa player Ini Umotong before Shania Hayles pulled it back level on the 14th minute at 1 a piece. On the 30th minute two goals in a 5 minute spell gave Brighton the upper hand and a late Shania Hayles goal gave us a chance but it wasn’t meant to be as we exited the Women’s FA Cup.
What would be the final two games of the season so far before COVID-19 happened as well as the storms that cancelled our Durham plans. Charlton would visit Boldmere before Coventry United did. A 3-0 win over Charlton with goals from Shania Hayles gave Villa the lead with a fast start once again in the first minute. Late goals by Emma Follis and Melissa Johnson saw Villa walk away with another win. The final game of the season (so far) was our third game against local rivals Coventry United. Jade Richards opened the scoring and a minute later Shania Hayles made it 2-0 with her first goal in her hatrick to give Villa the 4-0 victory.
Lewes away at The Dripping Pan and Durham away were both booked up with us looking forward to seeing in the end of the season but we know wait to see what happens to the rest of the season and the future that is ahead for Aston Villa Women as they sit 6 points clear of Sheffield United in second and 8 points ahead of Durham in 3rd position. It’s a wonder if we will get to see out the final 6 games as teams such as Charlton, London Bees, Blackburn Rovers and Lewes still have 8 games remaining. All we know is, we in the Boldmere Army can’t wait to return when it is safe too, too sing and get behind our team once again. UTV.