Match report: Ladies edged out by champions Chelsea
Liverpool Ladies were unfortunate to lose 2-1 against reigning champions Chelsea in a close Women's Super League encounter at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes on Wednesday night.
After finding themselves 2-0 down, Scott Rogers' side refused to give up and took the fight to their opponents.
A late Caroline Weir strike gave the Ladies hope, but try as they might they just could not produce an equaliser.
After letting a two-goal lead slip on Saturday and having to settle for a point against Sunderland, the Reds were determined to secure three points against the Londoners.
Despite the loss of regular full-backs Martha Harris and Alex Greenwood, Rogers was able to call upon the talented Maz Pacheco while Natasha Harding switched to right-back.
The Ladies started well and Weir was unlucky to see her effort land the wrong side of the post after good work from Katie Zelem.
Liverpool continued to apply pressure and forced several successive corners, but the visitors showed their quality by claiming the opening goal.
In Ji-So Yun Chelsea have one of the star performers in the WSL, and she opened the scoring with a low shot beyond the reach of Siobhan Chamberlain.
Weir then came so close to an equaliser but was denied by a brilliant save from Swedish stopper Hedvig Lindahl after superb approach play from Rosie White and Pacheco.
Sophie Ingle was next to test out Lindahl with a great effort that was pushed away to safety.
The Ladies could count themselves unfortunate to be a goal down at the break, but Chelsea started the second half brightly.
It took a fine stop from Chamberlain to deny Jade Bailey and England striker Fran Kirkby also went close with an effort just wide.
Dutch star Shanice van de Sanden then almost grabbed an equaliser only to see her effort come back off the post, before Chelsea made it 2-0 courtesy of a set-piece as Gilly Flaherty scored from a well worked corner.
The visitors then suffered a blow when they lost their goalkeeper, Lindahl, after she picked up a knock.
Despite the tall order of being two goals down against the reigning WSL champions, the Ladies never gave up and Weir pulled a goal back after great work from young starlet Niamh Charles.
Deep into stoppage-time, Mandy van den Berg came close to an equaliser when her cross was claimed by substitute goalkeeper Becky Spencer.
Rogers' charges are back in action on Monday afternoon when they travel to Notts County.
Liverpool Ladies: Chamberlain, Harding, Pacheco, Van den Berg, Bonner, Ingle, Longhurst (Charles), Zelem, White, Weir, Van de Sanden (Hodson).