Birmingham City
Blues Trust
Blues 4 All
Blues Women suffered their fifth defeat of the season and to be fair they didn’t deserve anything. We started well scored a beautiful goal from Ivanna Fuso but yet again that ruthlessness was not there in the second half The Saints showed what their side was made of with the brilliant guidance of Womens Football Legend Marieanne Spacey-Cale.
FIRST HALF
The first opportunity for Blues was the opening goal the returning Lily Agg did brilliantly and played it through to Ivanna Fuso who rolled it under the keeper Kayla Rendell to make 1-0 for the girls in blue in the 5th minute.
The next chance was a long time coming in the 36th minute when Devlin found some room and her cross was palmed away from Rendell .
Then Just before half time a moment of brilliance with a great chip by Molly Pike who had two opportunities similar to this before hand and it was third time lucky to make it 1-1
HALF TIME
BLUES 1-1 SOUTHAMPTON
SECOND HALF
In the second half the saints came back in the game with confidence and urgency, a dangerous corner from Jemma Purfield in the 55th minute wasn’t dealt with from Lucy Thomas but luckily for her Alice Griffiths shot went wide of the post.
In the 60th minute the saints thought they should have been given a penalty when Wilkinson was brought down in the area, but the referee Aimee Keir waved the protests away. Two minutes later Wilkinson, who was aggrieved about the decision took a free kick and brought out the best from Lucy Thomas, tipping it onto the crossbar with a fine save .
Blues had two quick opportunities when substitute Libby Smith headed over the bar with her first chance of the game after that an impressive move which came to Ellie Mason who fired straight at Rendell.
The next action of the game was the winner for the visitors when Primus sent an in-swinging cross which Lucy Thomas should have done better and parried away and hit former Blues player Katie Wilkinson who tapped it home in the 69th minute.
However, Blues did come close to an unlikely equalizer, and it wasn’t a Blues player it was when goal scorer Molly Pike headed it against the crossbar
But the saints did a professional job to leave St Andrews with the three points.
FULL TIME
BLUES 1-2 SOUTHAMPTON
MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME
We started well and scored a great goal from Ivanna Fuso with an assist from Agg, yet again we let the visitors back into the game in every home game when we scored the first goal, we usually lay down on the intensity which happens, but you have to play both sides of the game attacking and more importantly defending which usually wins titles . The Blues look shaky at the back now, Yes we have got some really good defenders with Herron, Lawley and Mason but you need experience to guide you to that’s why we miss Martha Harris and Louise Quinn who have seen it all before. Don’t get me wrong this squad should be able to grind out results, It’s a squad that is assembled to compete for the Championship. Hopefully after the International Break they will be back hungrier than ever.
MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH
I have to go for Molly Pike . She was brilliant, and that goal deserves my POM .
UP NEXT
After the international break another huge game and we need everyone to be committed against Laura Kaminski’s Crystal Palace side who had a big 4-0 win over Blackburn Rovers its on the 3rd of March at Sutton United’s Gander Green Lane 14:00 KO.
STEPHEN GILL KRO