Gunning-Williams and Ahtinen on target in pre-season victory over Feyenoord

Late second half goals from Lenna Gunning-Williams and Olga Ahtinen maintained our positive run of results in pre-season with a 2-0 victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday afternoon.

Playing the fifth game of our programme, where we picked up two wins in behind-closed-doors friendlies in recent weeks, we were made to work hard against the Eredivisie Vrouwen side, however our intensity eventually prevailed in the final quarter of the game at Hotspur Way.

Academy graduates Elkie Bowyer and Gunning-Williams linked up to break the deadlock in the hard-fought contest, with the latter opening the scoring with a cushioned header, before Ahtinen wrapped up the win with a composed finish into the bottom corner, while Eleanor Heeps produced an outstanding save at full stretch to preserve our clean sheet.

In all, it was another useful opportunity for Robert Vilahamn as a number of players completed their first 90 minutes, while our latest signings Anna Csiki, Hayley Raso and Katelin Talbert were handed their first appearances in our colours.

Following a quiet opening to the game, Csiki produced our first sighting at goal as her effort from distance sailed over the bar, before the Hungarian midfielder’s pin-point pass over the top set Gunning-Williams one-on-one with Jacintha Weimar but she was denied by the goalkeeper and, from the resulting corner, Bethany England’s header was punched away from danger as we pushed for an opener.

The visitors, who finished eighth in the Dutch top-flight last term, posed a threat down the right-hand side, Esmee de Graaf sending a number of dangerous low crosses into the box that needed important interventions from Luana Buhler and Clare Hunt. Gunning-Williams then forced Weimar into another strong save as Raso, who advanced inside from the right, slipped the ball into the young forward on the left area of the box, while England saw her headed effort safely gathered by Weimar after a lovely cross from Csiki on the left.

We made a number of changes at the break as Feyenoord pressed for an equaliser early on in the second half, Ella Van Kerkhoven sending her header wide from a deep free-kick before Heeps was called into action with a save at full-stretch to push Nienke Mulder’s curling effort from distance over the bar.

Gunning-Williams, who was played in by Ahtinen this time, was once again denied by Weimar but that didn’t deter her confidence and, just minutes later, she broke the deadlock as Bowyer’s cross from the left was met by the forward and she guided her header into the bottom corner.

After Araya Dennis saw a low left-footed effort saved after a searching run down the right-hand side, Ahtinen then secured the victory with four minutes left on the clock, calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner after reacting quickest to win possession back in midfield. The result concluded a positive outing for Vilahamn’s side ahead of our final pre-season outing against Manchester United on Sunday before the Barclays Women’s Super League opener against Crystal Palace in 11 days’ time.