ASTON VILLA LADIES 2-0 COVENTRY CITY LADIES ABANDONED 45 MINS BY KEV MONKS
Coventry City Ladies face another trip to Sutton Coldfield after the game against Aston Villa Ladies was abandoned at half-time.
Five minutes had been played when referee Andrew Gopsill took the players off the pitch to allow the fog that was falling on the Coles Lane ground to clear.
After a ten minute delay, play resumed and Villa netted straight from the restart following City defender Emma Lipman and keeper Gemma Smith being unable to see Shona Franklin on the edge of the area cut the ball across for Louise Carter to fire into an empty net.
Gemma Smith redeemed herself a minute later with a fine save from Hanna Smith.
The evening was not going the way of the Sky Blues and in the 16th minute, City were reduced to ten players when Maria Cartwright left the field for treatment to a bruised cheekbone.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Coventry continued to press with efforts from Maxine Knox and Sarah Marshall keeping the home keeper busy.
Striker Katy Box was always a threat to the Villa defence and in the 21st minute, Box found herself flattened by Natalie Courtney got away with a caution.
Just as Maria Cartwright was reintroduced to the action, Manager Mark Phillips had to make a change when Maxine Knox limped off with a recurrence of a knee injury which kept her out of the whole of last season.
With twenty eight minutes gone,Villa increased their lead when a run down the left flank by Shona Franklin saw her deliver a ball into the penalty area which deflected off a defender and crept past the helpless Smith into the net.
Boosted by a healthy Sky Blue following who just outnumbered the home support, City forced two corners with the second seeing a Julia Marshall effort from close range being cleared off the line.
In the 41st minute, Sarah Marshall created space inside the penalty area and rifled a shot which Courtney scrambled off the line.
A third off the line clearance occurred seconds later at the other end when City's England U21 international Michelle Hickmott cleared away a Natalie Masters shot from twelve yards.
At half-time, the both sides of the pitch were both visible but when the teams and the match officials returned,the fog had worsened and Mr Gopsill had no choice but to abandon the game.
TEAM
Smith,Lipman,Knox (McLeod 27),Healy,Lynch, Cartwright,Whalley,J.Marshall,Box,S.Marshall,Hickmott
SNU K.Cartwright,Lockyer,Bryerton, Baseley