COVENTRY CITY LADIES 3-2 BARNET LADIES FC
City: Wood, Miles, Lynch, Walton, Hollingsworth, McQuilkin (Reay 46), Barber, Ladd (Formaston 46), Dermody, Sweetman-Kirk, Clough (Dale 72). Subs: Wilcox,De Campos.
Barnet: Wordingham, Reidy, Trimnell, Horley, Colley, Rudman, Lawrence (Overton 82), Miller, Sandow, King (Georgiou 63), Inniss. Subs Cherson, Holmes.
Ref Paul Spink. Assts P.Shiels & J.Whitehouse.
HT CCLFC 2-1 BLFC FT CCLFC 3-2 BLFC
Goals Renata Inniss 9, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk 19,26,53, Holly Sandow 74
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Courtney Sweetman-Kirk hit a hat-trick in a 3-2 win for Coventry City Ladies against Barnet.
In very blustry conditions at the Bedworth United Oval, where the visitors , who were bottom of the WPL National Division at the start of play, were straight on the attack with two early shots at Sue Wood.
A surging run took Nikki Miles down the right flank but Megan Wordingham in the Barnet goal was able to catch.
Barnet took the lead in the ninth minute when Renata Inniss bundled from close range.
City drew level ten minute later when Miles crossed from the right and Courtney Sweetman-Kirk was in the right position to sweep home from 12 yards.
Sweetman-Kirk had a shot pushed over and then Dermody fired wide with a long range free kick.
In the 26th minute, Sweetman-Kirk put pressure on a defender and was able to act on her hesitation when she sent a volley from an acutish angle into the far corner of the net.
As the second half commenced, Karen Clough broke from a Barnet keeper and fired at Wordingham for a City side who had brought on Nat Reay and Jade Formaston at the break.
In the 53rd minute, Sweetman-Kirk sent Clough on her way. Her cross was bicycle kicked on by Reay for Sweetman-Kirk to send a header between the keeper and the post. Although, Wordingham did scramble away. Referee Mr Sphink and his assistant Mr Shield had adjudged the ball to be over the line and Courtney Sweetman-Kirk had her hat-trick.
City Ladies, who travel to a Cardiff City side who were not allowed to bid for a place in next season's WSL due to their membership of the Welsh FA, next Sunday, continued to press.
Sweetman-Kirk fired at Wordingham but with sixteen minutes left, the North Londoners reduced the arrears when Holly Sandow scored with a powerful finish from thirteen yards.
Inniss won a 78th minute and another six minutes later but they could not find away through and Sweetman-Kirk's hat-trick gave City another welcome victory.