FA Women’s Championship stalwarts Lewes and newcomers Liverpool battled to a 2-2 draw in an entertaining match at The Dripping Pan this afternoon.
Both sides went into the game with an identical points record and ended the game in the same position. Liverpool sit one place above Lewes in the table thanks to a superior goal difference but The Rookettes were clearly the happier with the result today as the teams drew 2-2.
The first 20 minutes of the game were uneventful as Liverpool dominated possession and with neither team really testing the opposition goalkeeper. The deadlock was broken after 25 minutes when Rinsola Babajide ran down the left wing and crossed a low ball which was turned into the net by Amalie Thestrup who then clattered into Tatiana Saunders in the Lewes goal.
Liverpool continued to dominate posession but Lewes were starting to look more dangerous when they did win the ball. It was still against the run of play, however, when Katie Rood levelled the scoreline. She received a beautiful pass from the left wing, leaving her one-on-one with Rachael Laws in the Liverpool goal. Laws came out to close her down but Rood coolly placed the ball between her legs and it rolled into the net three minutes before the break.
The second half started in much the same way as the first half but as the game approached 60 minutes, Liverpool began to turn up the intensity. They were rewarded when Babajide, making her 50th appearance for the club, received a pass across the box from Melissa Lawley and she fired the ball into the bottom corner to put The Reds back in front.
Thestrup hit the post in the 65th minute as Liverpool continued to press for a third but the next goal came from Lewes with substitute Ellie Hack bundling home in a crowded penalty box from a well taken corner. It could have even got better for Lewes a minute later, when Georgia Timms took aim on goal but she could only hit the post.
In the closing minutes of the game, Liverpool again pushed forward with Rachel Furness sending two shots wide but the goal would not come and it finished 2-2.
Lewes were clearly delighted with the result and they put in some excellent defensive performances but will hope to improve their sharpness in front of goal as the season progresses. Liverpool are perhaps finding this league harder than they anticipated and they will need to make more of their possession if they are to return to the Barclays FA Women’s Super League at the first attempt.
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