BLUES GET THE JOB DONE ON PENS ON A PROUD NIGHT FOR MANNU & LOCKE

Blues got over the line in the shootout wining 4-3 and drawing 2-2 in the 90 minutes on a night that Riya Mannu & Ebonie Locke will never forget both making the blues first team squad starting line-up for the first time. Mannu & Quinn gave Blues a 2-0 lead before Smith & Johnson pulled a great fight back for the robins to take it to penalties Johnson missed the decisive penalty to give Blues a well-earned extra point which could make all the difference. Amy made nine chances from the Newcastle win giving debuts to Riya Mannu & Ebonie Locke.

FIRST HALF

The first chance of the game  came for Blues when Lucy Quinn shot  went over the bar in the 1^st minute.

Blues took the lead in the 10^th minute and a moment to treasure for Riya Mannu scoring her first professional goal when her right footed shot found the bottom right hand corner pass Naomi Williams a proud moment for her and family.

In the 25^th minute Blues could have doubled the lead when Ava Baker right footed shot was saved by Willams.

Bristol City first chance came in the 28^th minute when a great strike from Jess Ziu brought out the best out of Adrianna Franch .

The next chance came for Blues from a corner when it was met well on the head of Rebecca Holloway, but it went over the bar.

The last chance of the half came for Blues when a Martha Harris shot went over the bar.

HALF TIME BLUES WOMEN 1-0 BRISTOL CITY WOMEN

SECOND HALF 

The first chance of the was a penalty to Blues when Naomi Williams brought down Lucy Quinn in the box and Quinny took reasonability herself and put it pass Naomi Williams to double blues lead in the 52^nd minute.

But in the 54^th minute the robins pulled a goal back when Lucy Newell conceded a penalty up stepped Lexi Lloyd-Smith and converted it into the bottom left corner to make 2-1 Blues.

The next chance came for Blues in the 67^th minute when Oceane Hurte shot went over the bar.

Three minutes later Blues were on the attack again when a great ball from Lucy Newell found Ava Baker whose shot was saved from Williams. 

But in the 72^nd minute the robins almost got a equalizer when Syme found Johnson inside the box but her effort was just too high.

But in the 79^th Olivia Johnson did find the back of the net when a quick free kick found Johnson in the box and finished it off from close range.

Blues next chance came in the 83^rd minute when a Martha Harris shot went over the bar.

Then in the 89^th Blues should have taken the lead when a Hurte cross found the head of Lucy Quinn, but her header was saved from Williams .

The last chance of the game came for Shannon Cooke but her effort went over the bar.

We go to penalties 

FULL TIME BLUES WOMEN 2-2 BRISTOL CITY WOMEN 2

PENALTIES

The first penalty for Bristol City was from Camila Saez which was saved from Franch.

Blues took the league in the shoot-out from Chirstie Harrison-Murray 1-0

Then Lexi scores from the spot 1-1

Ava Baker scores to make 2-1 Blues 

Then Emily Syme scores from the spot for the Robins 2-2

Then Sarri got us back into the lead to make it 3-2

Then Jones scored for Bristol to make it 3-3

Then Shannon Cooke fires it home to make it 4-3.

Johnson penalty was saved by AD Blues win the shootout.

Blues Women win 4-3 Bristol City on Penalties

MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME 

A hard-fought game two points in the bag and topping are group, but this night belongs to two people in Riya Mannu & Ebonie Locke a proud moment for them and their families and making their first team starts a night to remember for Riya Mannu & Ebonie Locke and capping off with Mannu first senior goal a great night all round for are youngsters . On the game we were in control in the first half but after the second goal went in, we had a lap of concentration with conceding the penalty and not dealing with the quick free kick which Olivia Johnson scored from close range against the another two teams in this group we cannot do that cause we will get punished with their qualities. On the shootout we were brilliant not missing one and Adrianna Franch came with crucial saves which got us the extra point.

MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH 

Riya Mannu a moment to remember for the young superstar starting in her first game and then scoring her first professional goal I can’t wait to see what she does next; we got a real gem on our hands well done Riya.

UP NEXT

We are away to Sheffield United on Saturday.

STEPHEN GILL