Month: May 2014

 Liverpool Ladies‘ 2014 campaign is now well under way; over 3 weeks in April Liverpool played 5 games, winning 2, drawing 2 and losing 1. With the return of the new season comes my monthly round ups for This Is Anfield, so make sure you remind yourself of how the season has gone so far here: April round-up.

 Liverpool kicked off the Continental Cup group stages at home on Wednesday with a goalless draw against Everton Ladies, last year the reds also drew with Everton in the opening game before progressing on to the semi-finals after winning their next 2 group games.

 This season with the introduction of a second tier to the Women’s Super League, there are more group games before the semi-finals with 3 groups of 6 teams. The team that tops each group will progress to the semis along with the best runner-up.

Liverpool celebrate Natasha Dowie’s goal vs Man City

 Tomorrow evening Sunderland Ladies will make the trip to Widnes to take on Liverpool for the third time this year, in a pre-season friendly the reds ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Natasha Dowie and Amanda DaCosta then in The FA Cup quarter-final Dowie was on the score sheet again alongside Martha Harris.

 Since the game in Sunderland on the 13th April, Liverpool have found themselves hit by injury missing 6 first-team players. This has given players from the development squad a chance to step-up, Ashley Hodson and Claudia Walker have in particular impressed.

 Claudia Walker made her first first-team start on Wednesday night, her 3rd game in under a week. Walker worked tirelessly down the wing and went agonisingly close with a couple of efforts, missing a Gemma Davison cross by just seconds and then testing the keeper with a great effort from the edge of the area – the young Everton keeper only just tipping it over the bar.

Claudia Walker in action for the development squad

 Gemma Davison is another Liverpool player who has impressed during the mixed start to the season, impressing with her pace down the wings and surely is due a goal.

 Liverpool back four of Becky Easton, Gemma Bonner, Lucy Bronze and Corina Schroder have had their work cut out throughout the last few matches. Defending well against Everton on Wednesday and keeping the dangerous Nikita Parris quiet limiting her chances at goal. The one chance Everton should probably have scored from, Danielle Gibbons made an excellent save to keep a clean sheet.

Sunderland’s Beth Mead

 Sunderland Ladies have surprised nobody with their great start to life in the second tier, last years Premier League champions sit joint top of the table alongside Doncaster Belles having played 3 and won 3 of their opening matches. Along the way they have scored 10 goals, conceding 4 with Beth Mead scoring 4 of those 10.

 Their last two outings have seen the black cats score 6 goals and concede 0 so Liverpool will not be underestimating their opponents on the night.

 Liverpool will want to use this game to get back to winning ways after 3 games with no goals, it will be no easy task against a tough Sunderland side however with the opportunities being created by the front four goals are surely due sooner rather than later!

 The game will kick off at 6:30pm, Select Stadium, Widnes. Liverpool Ladies and men’s season ticket holders are guaranteed free entry to all cup games, alternatively you can pay on the gate for £5 adults and £2.50 concessions.

 Bring your best singing voices and wear red! Da da da da Da Costa!

 Thanks for reading,

 @LFCladiesfans

 Liverpool Ladies took on Everton Ladies in their opening game of the 2014 Continental Cup last night just 4 days after being knocked out of The FA Cup by their blue neighbours.

 There was just the one change to the starting line-up with Claudia Walker coming in for Ashley Hodson. Liverpool were still without 6 first-team players through injury.

 Liverpool started this game much more brightly than the derby at the weekend, immediately retaining possession through Natasha Dowie and Amanda DaCosta. Everton set up this evening to defend with only Nikita Parris remaining past the half-way line for much of the game; the first time Parris tried to break clear of the Liverpool line she was comfortably dealt with by Gemma Bonner.

 Fara Williams had Liverpool’s first strike of the game, after Natasha Dowie could find no way through on the edge of the 18-yard box she passed back out to Williams but the shot from distance went over the crossbar.

 Liverpool put cross after cross into the Everton box throughout the 90 minutes, first Dowie almost finding Claudia Walker but impressive blues defender Gabby George was first to the ball.

 A first-half corner also seen Amanda DaCosta header bounce just inches wide of the far-post, Williams finding Lucy Bronze on the edge of the 6-yard box who headed it on to DaCosta.

 Liverpool pressed Everton high up the pitch, with some brilliant build up play around the area, Becky Easton finding herself in the thick of it and almost setting up Corina Schroder but the ball was cleared and out for a corner.

  Corina Schroder had the games greatest chance in the closing minutes of the first-half when the left-back broke free of her marker and took a brilliant strike at goal, the ball crashing off the cross-bar to provide Everton with the let off.

 Out for the second half and with Everton making a couple of substitutions, they continued with the same gameplan from the first half but almost with more success. Parris managing to shake off Lucy Bronze and square the ball to Michelle Hinnigan who took a shot at the top corner, Danielle Gibbons did brilliantly to react quickly and punch away.

 Gemma Davison was the reds star player yet again, working tirelessly down the wing and creating chances. A fantastic ball across the box to DaCosta almost helped to open the scoring but her strike went over.

 Claudia Walker also impressed again on her third game in 4 days, an excellent late ball into the box was only just tipped over by the keeper.

 Unfortunately for Liverpool, as on Saturday, their efforts amounted to nothing as the blues defence stood strong and resisted everything thrown at them.

 POTM: Gemma Davison

 Liverpool: Gibbons, Easton, Bonner (C), Bronze, Schroder, Williams, Katrin, DaCosta, Davison, Walker (Hodson), Dowie

 For some pictures from this game visit SupportHerApp’s Facebook page.

 Next up for Liverpool it’s another Continental Cup game again at Select Stadium. This Saturday the reds will take on Sunderland Ladies at 6:30pm kick off! Apologies for the late upload of this match report, I had an exam this morning that I did some last minute revision for last night following the game!

 Thanks for reading,

 @LFCladiesfans