Liverpool won the only all-FA WSL clash with three unanswered goals against Doncaster.
The Belles had barely had time to settle before they found themselves a goal down. Megan Sneddon’s tenacious work in the middle of the park freed Nicky Harding down the right hand-side, and the right back swept in a cross that was finished clinically at the back post by Kelly JONES.
Liverpool looked the far more threatening side in the opening stages and they almost doubled their lead after ten minutes. After Vicky Jones was bundled over 30 yards from goal, Cheryl Foster stepped up to hit a free kick that took an awkward bounce in front of Belles goalkeeper Helen Alderson, who kept the ball out with her legs.
Lively Doncaster forward Precious Hamilton then threatened to burst through the home defence, but was thwarted by a combination of Vicky Jones and goalkeeper Andrea Worrall.
Kelly Jones came within inches of her second goal after 18 minutes, the winger’s acrobatic volley from Katie Brussell’s cross flew just over the crossbar.
Doncaster again almost found themselves further behind two minutes later, but this time the problem was all of their own making. A hopeful long ball caused confusion at the heart of the defence, when centre-half Tori Williams nodded the ball past the on-rushing Alderson. Fortunately for the Belles, the ball trickled inches wide of the post. Williams’ touch seemed obvious to everyone in the ground, with the exception of the referee, who awarded a goal kick.
Having survived that double scare, Doncaster then almost clawed their way back into the game. Hamilton’s cross was well blocked by Harding, but the rebound fell to Kylla Sjoman, who shot straight at Worrall when she might have hoped to do better.
The busy Ruesha Littlejohn threatened the Belles goal twice in quick succession midway through the first half, first firing a snap shot wide and then seeing her effort blocked well by Alderson.
Alderson excelled again five minutes later, brilliantly pushing Scottish international Sneddon’s superb long range shot over the crossbar.
For all their first half domination, Liverpool were nearly pegged back on the stroke of half time when Doncaster captain Katie Holtham pounced on a loose ball inside the six yard box, but could only fire over under pressure to ensure that the home side deservedly went into the break a goal ahead.
The Reds repeated their early success at the beginning of the second half, with FOSTER scoring with a minute of the second period played. It was a foul on Foster which earned the free kick 20 yards out, and she dusted herself down to brilliantly curl Liverpool into a two goal lead – the ball finding it’s way in via the woodwork.
Facing elimination from the competition, Doncaster came back into the game and twice could have reduced the defecit. First, midfielder Becky Hall latched onto a goal kick, but was pressured into a tame shot at goal by the solid Vicky Jones.
Ex-England international Vicky Exley then squandered an even better chance for the visitors, heading wide after Sjoman’s cross found her unmarked on the back post.
Sneddon again went close to getting her name on the scoresheet a minute later after she turned magnificently in the middle of the park, before hitting a shot that was gathered at the second attempt by Alderson.
Five minutes from time, Hamilton missed a great chance to set up a nervy finale, shooting wide from twelve yards after capitalising in confusion in the Reds defence. Any hopes of a comeback seemed to end with that miss, and Liverpool’s victory was rubber-stamped with a moment of real quality from Lynda Shepherd in the final minute.
A cross from substitute Michelle Evans found Foster who laid the ball back into the path of SHEPHERD, who then hit a fierce shot which left Alderson with no chance.
