📝 REPORT: BRISTOL CITY 3-1 WATFORD
SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH 2022
Bristol City secured their fifth successive victory with 3-1 win over Watford at the Robins High Performance Centre.
Chloe Bull bagged a brace to put the Robins in the driving seat with ten minutes to play, before Rosie Kmita picked out the top corner to make it a tense end to proceedings in BS8.
However, the inevitable Abi Harrison popped up with an injury-time header to seal the points and become City Women’s all-time top goalscorer (23).
🧐 BACKGROUND
Lauren Smith’s side returned the Robins HPC for the first time since their 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace in early February, a game which kickstarted their current run of form.
City made one change to the starting XI that beat Lewes on the road last weekend with Satara Murray returning to the heart of the defence in place of Ella Powell.
✍️ WHAT HAPPENED?
City controlled proceedings in BS8 from the outset as they probed the Watford backline for an opener from the off.
Ffion Morgan and Harrison were almost set free inside the 18-yard box on multiple occasions, however the Robins often lacked accuracy in their passes into the final third.
The game’s opener came in on the fifteen-minute mark courtesy on Chloe Bull. A loose ball broke to the midfielder on the edge of the box and she hoisted her effort towards the far corner, it hung in the air and deceived Georgie Fergusson to bounce into the top corner.
City failed to work their way through gears for the remainder of the first half. Their best chance fell to Brooke Aspin in the 45th minute as she hooked the ball on target from a corner, however Fergusson was on hand to comfortably save.
⏱ HALF-TIME
The Robins emerged from the changing rooms at half-time with a renewed energy as they went on the hunt for a second goal.
However, it was Watford who almost found an equaliser as Fran Bentley was called into action to punch Rosie Kmita’s corner off her line. The keeper’s clearance then started a City counter, which saw Harrison pick out the advancing Naomi Layzell, but the young defender’s shot was straight down the throat of Fergusson.
A moment of brilliance from second half substitute Ella Powell sparked City’s second. She skilfully lost her marker on the right-hand side, before picking out Bull at the far post who smashed home from a tight angle.
The final ten minutes would not be smooth sailing for the Robins as Kmita handed Watford a lifeline. She rifled the ball into the top corner from the edge of the area just minutes after Bull had provided the Robins with a two-goal cushion.
City pressed for a third as the looked to put the game to bed and they were rewarded in injury-time. Bull was brought down 25-yards from the Watford goal, and from the resulting free-kick she picked out Harrison at the far post for an historic moment.
The Scot squeezed her header past the keeper to become City Women’s all-time top goalscorer with 23, surpassing the previous record of 22 held by Natalia Pablos.
🏃♂️TEAM
Bentley, Layzell, Aspin (Powell 63‘), Murray (Allen 75’), Cataldo, Palmer (Jhamat 90’), Davies (Kuyken 63’), Bull, Beever-Jones, Morgan (Woolley 75’), Harrison
Unused subs: Whitehouse (GK), J.Bull, Wilde, Cook
🎥 REACTION
🗓 UP NEXT
City Women are next in action at Ashton Gate on Sunday, April 3rd when they take on table-topping Liverpool.
📸 PICTURES
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