Bethany England opened her account for the 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Super League campaign in dramatic fashion as her injury-time equaliser ensured a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
Having took the lead midway through the first half after Eveliina Summanen converted from the penalty spot, also netting her first goal of the season, Villa fought back in front of a lively crowd at Villa Park to turn the scoreline around in the final quarter of the game, Adriana Leon slotting home the leveller before Rachel Daly put the home side ahead with two minutes left on the clock.
However, in the sixth minute of the nine allocated in injury-time, our captain stepped up with another important goal in her Spurs career – and her 75th in the WSL - as she headed home from Amanda Nildén's cross to share the points in BE6.
Robert Vilahamn named an unchanged starting XI from our 4-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend, while there was only one change among the substitutes as summer signing Ella Morris was brought into her first WSL matchday squad to replace Luana Bühler.
On the sideline for his first home game since being appointed manager in the summer, Robert de Pauw saw his side start brightly and thought they had taken the lead on six minutes when Daly fired home from close-range, but the assistant referee judged her to be in an offside position in the build-up. Becky Spencer was called into action shortly after as Kirsty Hanson delivered a low cross into Daly but her toe-poked effort was comfortable for our number 22.
Following a positive start for the hosts, we grew into the game and, on 23 minutes, we were awarded a penalty as Drew Spence was brought down by Paula Tomas after beating her to the bouncing ball inside the box. Summanen, who also scored from the penalty spot in pre-season, stepped up and sent Sabrina D’Angelo the opposite direction, placing the ball into the right side-netting.
Hanson continued to pose a threat down the left-hand side, curling an effort from left area of the box into the hands of Spencer, while Martha Thomas spotted D’Angelo off her line and sent an ambitious effort from around 30 yards out towards goal, but it dropped wide of the target as a relatively quiet first half came to an end.
Daly had two good opportunities minutes after the break, glancing a header wide of the target from Jordan Nobbs’ cross before, with her back to goal, she sent a looping effort over the bar, while we stood strong defensively as Molly Bartrip blocked a low-driven shot from Missy Bo Kearns on the edge of the box.
The hosts pressure eventually prevailed on 78 minutes as Adriana Leon, who was introduced just 10 minutes prior, was played into the box by Daly and she slotted home into the bottom right corner. Then, with just two minutes left on the clock, Villa completed the turnaround as Maritz’s long ball into the six-yard box was met by Daly and she sent a looping header over the on-rushing Spencer.
But there was late drama at Villa Park as, in the sixth minute of the nine allocated, Nildén somehow kept the ball alive on the byline and managed to send a cross to the front post where England was in the right place at the right time to head home, securing a point in our first away game of the season.
