Birmingham City
Blues Trust
Blues 4 All
BCFC women’s blog sponsored by Garrison Coffee Company
Blues started of their Conti Cup campaign with a defeat to WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion. The visitors didn’t look ever like being in trouble and with goals from Rule (16’minutes), Robinson (49’minutes), & Terland (86’minutes) they fully deserved to beat blues. Darren Carter made six changes to the side that drew against Sunderland m. The debut of Charlotte Clarke was the only bright spark in what was a very disappointing evening at St Andrews.
FIRST HALF
The debutant was called straight into action when Brighton’s Maddison Haley was clean through on goal, her shot was going into the top corner, but Clarke made a brilliant save to tip it over the bar in the 2nd minute.
In the fifth minute Blues really should have taken the lead when Matha Harris crossed the ball onto the head of Claudia Walker, but Nicky Evrard parried it away and saved the follow up.
In the 14th minute Blues yet again gave away the ball from Gemma Lawley and former Blues player Veatriki Sarri shot was turned behind the goal from Clarke. The resulting corner resulted in the seagulls taking the lead. Mackenzie Hawkesby’s delicious corner into the near post was met by Rule and her header went into the back of the net to make it 0-1.
Blues responded with a shot from Neve Herron, but it went over the bar in the 26th minute. This was quickly followed with a chance for Brighton when Sarri had a shot that went over the bar in the 29th minute .
Brighton continued to push and should have doubled the lead when Li Mengwen’s pass found Pauline Bermer, but the defence did well, and the shot was easily saved from Clarke in the 41st minute.
Blues last chance of the half came from a Charlie Devlin freekick which went over the bar in the 43rd minute.
HALF TIME BLUES 0-1 BRIGHTON
SECOND HALF
Darren made a triple change at the beginning of the second half bringing on Fuso, Lucy Quinn and Lily Agg for Devlin, Dungate and Herron, it made a difference and in the 48th Fuso did brilliantly to find Walker, but her shot was saved from Evrard.
It didn’t take long for the Seagulls to double the lead though and when Sarri found the pacey Katie Robinson down the right wing her pass to Clarke resulted in making it 0-2 and it was game over for us.
Fuso had a shot was saved from Evrard in the 53rd minute . Then a corner from Blues which was headed wide from Agg in the 56th minute.
Captain Christie Harrison-Murray had a shot which was saved from Evrard in the 60th minute.
Brighton were always looking to kill the game of and could have when Sarri shot just went wide in the 64th minute.
Claudia Walker then put a great ball into the box, but Fuso could not reach it. Blues continued to have chances and Ellie Masons free kick was saved in the 70th minute.
Lucy Quinn had a fantastic effort which hit the crossbar in the 78th minute. Quinn had a further shot that went wide in the 84th minute.
Brighton made it 0-3 when Sarri with some great player found Terland to turn it home to make it a miserable night for the Blues fans.
FULL TIME BLUES 0-3 BRIGHTON
MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME
Yet again Melissa Phillips has got one over Darren Carter and keeps her 100% record over him . Blues could not keep hold of the ball, Brighton on the other hand made light work of Blues , their composure on the ball was amazing and they have world class players in their ranks . I said last year Melissa Phillips is someone going to the top of the game maybe a future United States coach . For Blues it’s frustrating we need to be ruthless if you don’t then nine times out of ten you get punished and that’s what happened.
POM
I have to go Veatriki Sarri she was brilliant even they she didnt get on the score sheet she was brilliant. She created chances and was always giving the blues defence problems.
NEXT UP
Next up an away trip to see Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
KRO STEPHEN GILL