0-0 v Aston Villa - 26 August 2023 - Home

Our women's first team stepped up their pre-season preparations with a behind-closed-doors friendly with Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening.

In a useful opportunity for new boss Robert Vilahamn and many of our summer signings to further acclimatise to the Club and its surroundings while building towards the start of the new campaign, we enjoyed a bright performance against our fellow Women's Super League side, with a high work-rate and good levels of cohesiveness on show among the squad as we battled out a goalless draw.

We pressed right from the off, Celin Bizet causing the visitors problems on a handful of occasions in the first five minutes, notably heading just wide from Shelina Zadorsky's whipped ball into the box after a great counter-attack from Jess Naz as we won the ball back following a Villa corner.

We maintained a promising level of intensity as the first half went on, Finland compatriots Eveliina Summanen and Olga Ahtinen linking up to good effect in midfield, while we positioned ourselves well at the back to prevent Villa from advancing into the final third.

The visitors eventually forced a couple of corners but couldn't meaningfully trouble debutant goalkeeper Barbora Votíková, who routinely saved from Freya Gregory after Ahtinen had been denied by a save at the other end, while Summanen went close with a free-kick as the first half came to a close.

Villa introduced Alisha Lehmann and Dan Turner at the break but we continued on the front foot, Naz firing over after a good solo run and Bizet sending a diving header just wide as she linked up well with new loan signing Grace Clinton. Villa reminded us of their threats when a header from a corner went over the crossbar, although as the game slowed down we continued to try to find a way through. However, we needed Summanen's late heroics - a great tackle to halt a counter-attack and subsequent clearance off the line in the 88th minute - to stay on level terms.

In all, it was another positive step for Robert and the squad during what has been a busy summer of work, with Academy players Milly Boughton, Lou Davis and Gracie Hickman also picking up useful match minutes in the second half.