Bristol City have collected their first points of the season in the Barclays Women’s Super League after defeating West Ham United 3-2 at The Chigwell Construction Stadium this afternoon.
The two sides shared the game’s first four goals in the opening 45 minutes before defender Brooke Aspin headed home the winner for The Robins early in the second half.
There was little goal-mouth action in the opening stages of the match with both sides working each other out. West Ham United were handed the first big chance of the game just before the half-hour mark when Megan Connolly got her hand in the way of a shot. The Hammers were awarded a penalty kick as a result and Viviane Asseyi successfully converted from the spot.
West Ham United weren’t in front for long. Rachel Furness expertly delivered a pinpoint cross onto the head of Amalie Thestrup and she was able to score against her former club.
Bristol City then went ahead themselves for the first time when Thestrup’s overhead kick was saved by Mackenzie Arnold and Ella Powell fired home the rebound.
The Robins looked set to go into the break ahead, however, West Ham United had the final say in the first half. Honoka Hayashi played the ball over the top to Riko Ueki and she impressively fended off her marker before drilling her shot into the bottom corner of the net.
It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken in the second half. A Bristol City free-kick from the left found the head of Aspin and the ball looped over Arnold and into the back of the net.
With 15 minutes remaining, Bristol City thought that they had scored a fourth goal but Thestrup converted from an offside position and the flag went up. Carrie Jones was then denied by a superb last-ditch tackle from Hawa Cissoko moments later.
Thestrup should have sealed the points in the final minute of normal time for the visitors but her effort was kept out by the boot of Arnold. Bristol City then survived some late pressure as they finally claimed their first points back in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
West Ham United end the weekend in eighth position while Bristol City are in 11th place, three points above the relegation zone.
About The Author
