COVENTRY CITY LADIES 0-1 SHEFFIELD FC
City: Wood, Neville, Quayle, Johnson, Lynch, Miles, Barber, Dermody, Toussaint (Mellor 76),Gauntlett (Davies 67), Hughes. Subs Ogle, Formaston, Piggott.
Sheffield: Wallhead, Lee, Cox, Murphy, Gilliat, Giampalma (McIver 68) Ward, Parkin, Goodman, Michaelska, E.Johnson. Subs: Kemp, Horsley, Beanland.
HT CCLFC 0-1 SLFC
FT CCLFC 0-1 SLFC
Goals Dani Cox 26
Referee Rebecca Scott Mullen, Assts Sam Thompson, Sam Dick
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Coventry City Ladies' hopes of winning the League took a knock when they were beaten 1-0 by Sheffield FC.
It was a very windy afternoon at the Bedworth Oval for this WPL Northern Division top of the table clash.
Craig Nicholls, made changes from the side which lost to Charlton in the FA Cup with Callen Barber in for Jade Formaston who was injured during that game.
Watched by a decent sized crowd, Maz Gauntlett had a good chance in the third minute when Wallhead dropped the ball. However, referee Rebecca Scott-Mullen awarded a free kick to the Yorkshire based side who went wide in their first real attack through Gilliat who also shot over from a good move in the seventh minute.
Helen Dermody, back playing in a role that more suited her, was at the heart of everything that was good for the Sky Blues who were holding the WPL Northern Division champions well.
City, who had Ash Neville putting in some great tackles, won a 17th minute corner
Five minutes later and Toussaint crossed for Gauntlett to fire at Wellhead.
Sheffield took the lead when City conceded a needless corner in the 26th minute and there was Dani Cox to head home from Ward's flag kick.
Three minutes later and the visitors won a free kick on the edge of the area but Sue Wood was equal to it, pulling off a good save by diving to her left.
Much to the delight of the City support, the Sky Blues had a 34th minute free kick taken by Dermody which was meant by Lynch and cleared off the line.
Sheffield fired wide at the other end twice with Giampalma wasting a one on one.
Three minutes before the break and Amber Hughes fired over following a corner given by a referee whose decision making was seen as highly contestable.
Another contestable decision was awarded a minute after the restart and gave Dermody a free kick which Wallhead flapped away for a corner.
A long ball had to be scrambled away before a foul on Wood was given.
Goodman and Gauntlett had chances as did Dermody in the 52nd minute.
A great move saw Toussaint cut back for Gauntlett to strike a post and then have the rebound saved.
The referee continued to miss a lot of major decisions including not giving a penalty when Toussaint was sent crashing to the ground as she lined up to shoot.
Michalska and Dermody had chances as both sides made changes.
In the 76th minute, a bad challenge on Toussaint which delayed the game, saw Sheffield reduced to ten players when Carla Ward was sent off for kicking Destiny Toussaint in the face.
Toussaint, who had suspected broken nose, was unable to continue and Jade Mellor came on for the last fourteen minutes.
Davies shot wide as City went looking for a goal which would keep them in the title race.
Wood saved from McIver and Mellor won an 87th minute corner before McIver fired over again.
City continued to battle but Sheffield had done the job they had come to do and the Sky Blues were beaten.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service