Manchester City have made it six wins out of six in all competitions with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Everton at Walton Hall Park this afternoon.
Julie Blakstad and Khadija Shaw got the goals for Gareth Taylor’s side as they continued their climb up the Barclays Women’s Super League table.
Manchester City came flying out of the traps and they were almost ahead inside the opening minute. Laura Coombs’ low cross eventually found Chloe Kelly but home keeper Emily Ramsey rushed out of her goal to make a crucial block.
Blakstad then headed wide from close range before Aurora Galli saw a venomous effort go narrowly off target at the other end after some good work from Karen Holmgaard.
Shaw thought that she had broken the deadlock on 13 minutes but her effort was ruled out for offside before Blakstad curled a shot wide from the edge of the box.
Manchester City opened the scoring just after the half-hour. Shaw was played through and she unselfishly passed the ball to teammate Blakstad to fire home. The goal did come in slightly controversial circumstances with Shaw potentially offside at the point of receiving the pass.
Shaw was close to adding a second goal soon after but her header looped onto the roof of the net before Everton levelled matters through Rikke Sevecke after Manchester City failed to clear the danger from a corner kick.
Katja Snoeijs then nearly turned the game completely on its head but Sandy MacIver held her sharp shot before Ramsey almost had a moment to forget at the other end when she had to scramble to collect the ball from her own mis-hit punch.
Manchester City started the second half as brightly as they had the first and Ramsey had to be alert to smother the ball from a Shaw shot after the Jamaican international had powered her way through the Everton defence. Shaw didn’t have to wait long for her goal. After Laura Coombs’ initial effort came back off the post, the forward was there to sweep the loose ball home.
The Cityzens continued to push for further goals. Shaw headed narrowly wide from a corner before a catalogue of errors from Ramsey almost handed the visitors their third goal, the ball somehow staying out. Substitute Aggie Beever-Jones then drilled a shot into the side-netting for Everton before Shaw glanced a header wide at the other end.
Lucy Graham curled a shot narrowly wide in the closing stages of the game before Ramsey made a superb save to deny Kelly at the death as the contest ended 2-1 in Manchester City’s favour.
The result moves Manchester City level on points with third-placed Manchester United while Everton remain in the bottom half of the table.
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