West Ham 1-1 Aston Villa

Leon (8) – Allen (92)

villa – Hampton, Pacheco, Asante, N’DOw, Mayling, GieLnik, Arthur (Petzelberger 56), Allen (C), Lehmann (Davison 68), Littlejohn (Hayles 84), Boye-Hlorkah

Our very first away day of the new season and a trip away to West Ham, do have to say first off the staff and matchday people at West Ham were fantastic and so helpful throughout the game even offered us our own stand away from everyone if we wanted too (If only we’d of knew). But after an opening day win against Leicester City could we put more points on the board to start with before the international break.

It didn’t really go to plan out the gate as once again we didn’t seem to come out the blocks as it took us 30 minutes once again to get going. But West Ham punished us as the deadly Adriana Leon opened the scoring on the 8th minute after a defending mishap allowed her to get in behind and leave Hannah Hampton no chance in the goal, but Hampton had already stopped Leon once and kept us in the game while we took a while to start. But on the 30th minute our first real effort of the game came through our brand spanking new aussie, Emily Gielnik as she called the West Ham keeper to save low down with her legs.

Alisha Lehmann was in the thick of the action throughout the game using the wing and putting the defence under pressure. Chloe Arthur deserves a shoutout as well for her work rate in the middle of the pitch as she battled and never gave up. West Ham dragged the half out to an unbelievable amount of wasting time everytime they could, but Villa were starting to grow into the game and had done everything but manage to get the ball into the net.

The second half kicked off and 10 minutes into the half Ramona Petzelberger (yes even with a hangover I couldn’t of been more happy) came onto the pitch for Chloe Arthur to try and pull us back into the game. The thing I am loving about Carla Ward is she isn’t afraid to make a change when she believes it is needed. We were growing into the game and you could feel something coming but West Ham were just about doing enough at the back. Gemma Davison replaced Alisha Lehmann who played really well throughout her 67 minutes.

Ramona Petzelberger just shows her class when she is on the pitch, the small things you don’t see her do are just as amazing as the big parts of the game you see her change things. This was shown when her effort hit the outside of the post on the 72nd minute. Anita Asante was a joy to see play in front of us in the second half the way she reads the game and kept the West Ham attackers away from the goal was sublime.

Ruesha Littlejohn and Abby Leigh Stringer showed the important and fight of the teams with a real battle in the middle that saw both players picking up a yellow card. Before Shania Hayles replaced Littlejohn on the 84th minute. Villa kept knocking on the door.

Shania Hayles nearly pulled us level as she made the West Ham keeper pull off a fantastic save on the 86th minute. As time was running out Villa were piling the pressure on including Elisha N’Dow on one of her signature runs from the back to the front. In the dying minutes of the game with 2 of 4 gone in injury time. The ball broke to Ramona Petzelberger as she delivered it back into the danger area and who else but Remi Allen who got her head onto it directing it into the top corner to cause pandemonium once again. As Carla Ward mentioned in her interview. Yes we drew level but we wanted the win as we tried to push for what we deserved. The game ended 1-1 but again alot of positives but also a couple of things that can still be improved on as we head towards Brighton away on 26th of September.

Overall we take 4 points into the international break, an unbeaten start. Before Sunday’s games we sit top of the FAWSL with Remi Allen sitting equal top with Beth Mead on the Top Goalscorers. Carla Ward has made the big calls when she has had too and has been very honest and talks what we see in the stands which is so refreshing as well.

Away from the pitch, we stayed over in Ilford the night before the game and it was so good to be away and the stories from that night will make us all smile for the rest of the season I am sure. But from Mark belting out the Alisha Lehmann on the karaoke while the guy looked confused. To Chris taking out the radiator before bed. We have the international break and will look forward to being back on the sidelines cheering our team on in Brighton.

Up The Villa!!