Brighton & Hove Albion Women v Liverpool Ladies
Women’s Super League
The first of two games on Easter Saturday, a short 30 minute trip to Falmer from my Easter weekend base in Eastbourne, and a first visit to the Amex Stadium for this lunchtime kick-off. Going into the game Brighton sat one place above Liverpool in fifth spot but with just the one point separating the two.
It was a beautiful day and definitely one of the easier grounds to get to from a train station! The Amex sits right next to Falmer station, a five-minute walk and you’re there. I’d bought my ticket online which was £12 for adults and a printed programme was available for £3.
The game itself started with a bang. In the first minute a long ball forward was cleared by the Liverpool defence with Marie Hobinger picking up the ball midway inside their own half. She knocked it out to the left flank where Ceri Holland ran at the defender before cutting inside and hitting a glorious Crossfield pass to Olivia Smith in the area and she made no mistake from close in, smashing the ball past Melina Loeck at the near post. 0-1
Liverpool continued to pressure the home defence and following a nice move down the right, the ball was squared into Leanne Kiernan just inside the box but her shot flashed over the crossbar. It was all one way traffic and only a brilliant save from Loeck kept the scoreline at 1-0.
After weathering the storm of the first twenty minutes the Seagulls had their first chance with Nadine Noordam striking well from distance on 25 minutes. Her curling effort just wide of the post with keeper Rachael Laws watching.
They fashioned the next chance soon after, nice play down the left released Fran Kirby into the area. She took it to the byline before trying to find Michelle Agyemang in the centre but she was well covered by Gemma Bonner who managed to get in first to clear.
Just before the break Brighton tried to play the ball out from the back but couldn’t break through the high intensity press from their opponents, a misplaced pass was picked up by the lively Holland and she slipped the ball to Kiernan who made no mistake. 0-2
An injury to Olivia Smith from a strong challenge on the break meant several minutes of added time. When the referee did bring the half to close, Liverpool took a well deserved lead into the break.
H-T: Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Liverpool 2
The hosts made three substitutions at half time and this seemed to breathe some life into them after a lacklustre first 45 minutes. In the 48th minute they halved their deficit. A nice exchange of passes in midfield set Kiko Seike free down the right flank. She whipped a lovely ball across the six yard box where it seemed to hit Agyemang’s right leg rather than her shooting and the ball bounced into the opposite corner. 1-2
The visitors had the next chance, a cross from the right found the head of Hobinger but she couldn’t get enough power behind it and it drifted wide of the post.
Seike was again the provider as she played a a pass from the right of the area into the D just behind Kirby but she managed to hit a volley on the turn that just beat the post.
The Reds came back again and on a quick break Holland ran onto a through ball before unleashing a powerful shot from the edge of the box which Loeck got down to superbly to turn the ball away for a corner.
F-T: Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Liverpool 2
On a warm sunny day Liverpool fully deserved this victory with Ceri Holland being their outstanding player on the day. Brighton lacked intensity early on and never really recovered. They were better in the second half, notably after the introduction of Keiko Seike, but never really did enough to get anything out of the game.