Battling display but Spurs Women lose out to in-form City in the WSL

Spurs Women gave everything in a narrow defeat against Manchester City in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League on Sunday.

Rehanne Skinner’s team refused to give an inch against a team who arrived at The Hive with one defeat in their last 13 games in all competitions, scoring 51 goals along the way.

Set up superbly defensively and so well organised, we gave as good as we got in the first half, but events conspired against us somewhat as we lost forwards Kyah Simon and Rachel Williams to injury. City stepped up a gear in the second half, but it took a scrappy goal to decide it as Caroline Weir bundled home Hayley Raso’s cross at the far post on 64 minutes.

The nature of that goal would have been frustrating for Rehanne, but take nothing away from the team’s performance - this was our first home loss in the WSL this season - and we remain fourth with six matches remaining.

We kept City at bay in the first half and looked dangerous in transition. Ashleigh Neville almost picked out Eveliina Summanen’s break from deep early on, Williams got away from two defenders before firing over and Simon drilled at Ellie Roebuck from 20 yards all inside 10 minutes. So-hyun Cho was also close to breaking onto a pass through the middle, this time Roebuck dashed out of her area to clear.

At the other end, City struggled to break us down and Molly Bartrip was in the way of efforts from Lauren Hemp and Raso. Unfortunately, we then lost the lively Simon to a dislocated finger, replaced by Rosella Ayane. Three chances arrived in added time - Ayane drove into the side-netting after a fine move involving Williams, Maeva Clemaron and Neville before Raso got to the byline but didn’t pick out a team-mate and Ellen White’s effort didn’t have the power to trouble Becky Spencer.

Josie Green replaced Williams at the break, with Summanen pushing furthest forward in the second half.

City upped the ante, Spencer did well to keep out Georgia Stanway’s corner from under her crossbar, Weir struck the post from a free-kick on the edge of the box and Spencer was there again to divert Alex Greenwood’s dangerous cross at full stretch with White lurking. Raso then broke clear onto Stanway’s pass, this time denied by Spencer with a fine save to her right.

The winning goal actually came from our press deep in City territory. We won the ball in the corner, Neville looked for Ayane, her cross grabbed by Roebuck. She released Lucy Bronze, who drove forward 70 yards before playing in Raso. Spencer did well to get a hand on the cross but the ball bounced off Ria Percival into the path of Weir six yards out, Bartrip met it at the same time and was helpless as it cannoned home.

We came closest to equalising when Neville bravely slid in for a 50-50 with Roebuck at the far post from Kerys Harrop’s cross. Roebuck held on, and later went off as a precaution after taking a blow to the head. Her replacement, Khiara Keating, was alert to a ball over the top chased down by Ayane in injury time, but City saw the game out.

Reaction on Spurs TV

Highlights on Spurs TV

Match data

Goal: City - Weir 65.

Yellow cards: Spurs - Neville 70, Harrop 90+2; City - Greenwood 59, Roebuck 81.

Referee: Emily Heaslip.

Venue: The Hive, Barnet FC.

Weather: Breezy, rain, 11 degrees at kick-off.