A five-star performance at St Andrews @knighthead park on Sunday resulted in Blues beating Mel Reay’s Sunderland side who finished last season above Blues in third place.

In all my eleven years following Birmingham City Women I never ever seen a more ruthless display from the girls in blue. Amy Merricks handed three debuts to Tegan McGowen Ashanti Akpan & Rebecca Mckenna . There were some other changes in the line-up with the supporter’s player of the season Lily Agg given the captains arm band and Lucy Quinn was playing in a centre forward role.

FIRST HALF

The first couple of chances in the first half came for the visitors, first off in the second minute when Emily Scarr shot was saved from Lucy Thomas.

The black cats had another opportunity a minute later after Blues gave the ball away with Katie Kitching whose shot was also saved by Thomas.

Then in the 8^th minute Blues had their first chance of the game when Yuri cross was headed across goal from Lucy Quinn, some brilliant defending from Sunderland helped to clear the ball off the line.

Two minutes later Blues found the breakthrough from back to front when Lucy Thomas found Ivanna Fuso who played a beautiful ball into Quinny and run into the box before firing it home past Demi Lambourne to make it 1-0.

The next major chance came in the 32^nd minute when Blues doubled the lead. Debutant Rebecca Mckenna did brilliantly then played a brilliant cross to found Lily Agg whose header went over Lambourne to make it 2-0 Blues.

Then in the 40^th minute the game was put to bed when another debutant Tegan McGowen doing brilliantly down the wing and found Yuri who cooly passed it past Lambourne to make it a dream first half for the girls in blue.

HALF TIME BLUES WOMEN 3-0 SUNDERLAND WOMEN

SECOND HALF

The first chance of the second half come for Blues when McGowen was brought then in the penalty in the 51^st minute Lucy Quinn stepped up on fired it past Lambourne to make it 4-0 and a brace for Quinny.

Then in the 66^th minute it was five of the best when Ivana Fuso played a one two in the box with Yuri and side footed it pass Lambourne to make an unbelievable opening day of the season for the girls in blue.

The last chance of the game came for the visitors when Libbi Mcinnes strong shot was saved from Lucy Thomas over the bar.

FULL TIME BLUES WOMEN 5-0 SUNDERLAND WOMEN 

MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME 

Like I said an unbelievable performance from Amy and the girls and they all should be so proud of this performance. To keep that intensity for 95 minutes and playing that attractive football that the ownership wants to see, it was a real pleasure to watch it . When this fixture was announced I was really worried cause the black cats in the last two games at St Andrews @knighthead park, Sunderland have taken 4 points away  and with the quality of their Coach in Mel Reay it was going to be a gritty performance I thought it was going to be at half time every Blues fan was relaxed and enjoying what was on displayed on the St Andrews turf. Don’t get me wrong it’s just one game and Sunderland won’t be down there this season there will be challenging like us for the title it was just one of those days that everything went right for us, and everything went wrong for the black cats.  But for us Lucy Quinn has a centre forward was brilliant for us I don’t think she has played there since her Yeovil Town days . Ivana Fuso was stronger and her runs were amazing and deserved her goal . the three debutants were also amazing . Lily has captain was what all of us want to see passion and commitment .

MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH

I have to go for two cause they were brilliant on their debuts for the club, Ashanti Akpan who didn’t put a foot wrong and Tegan Mcgowan were brilliant winning the penalty and overall both had brilliant performances.

UP NEXT 

Our first away game of the season against relegated Bristol City if you cant get down their it will be on the Barclays Championship YouTube channel 14:00 kick off.

STEPHEN GILL KRO

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