Ladies hold WSL leaders City to creditable draw
Liverpool Ladies produced a brilliant display as they held Women's Super League leaders Manchester City to a goalless draw at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes on Wednesday night.
The visitors had come into the contest on the back of a 100 per cent winning record and scoring goals for fun this term, but with captain Gemma Bonner magnificent at the back the likes of England star Toni Duggan were kept relatively quiet.
Overall, a draw was probably a fair result but Scott Rogers' side did create some great openings and were unfortunate late on when Rosie White's header hit the bar.
Rogers made one change to his line-up from that which won 4-0 away at Sunderland, with Dutch winger Shanice van de Sanden replacing Emma Lundh in attack.
Liverpool Ladies started brightly and had a golden chance on four minutes when a weak backpass saw Caroline Weir clean through on goal. However, her first-time effort was straight at Karen Bardsley.
On 17 minutes, a great move by the Reds perhaps should have been rewarded with a goal. It started brilliantly at the back with Bonner and saw a superb through ball from Weir send Van De Sanden racing away, but after beating the covering defender her attempt was wild and off target.
Straight up the other end City carved out their first chance when Nikita Parris' close-range effort was expertly kept out by the reflexes of Siobhan Chamberlain.
In the 34th minute, the away side went close again as Jane Ross fired a deflected strike just wide of the target.
City stepped up the pressure in the second half but the Reds defended well, with Satara Murray, Bonner, Sophie Ingle and Alex Grenwood rock solid.
Former Red Lucy Bronze threatened on 54 minutes but her effort was turned over the bar by Chamberlain.
Liverpool Ladies had to wait until the 70th minute for their first sight of goal in the second half, when Greenwood cut in from the right but struck straight into the arms of Bardsley.
On 77 minutes, Rogers' side nearly had the breakthrough courtesy of New Zealand forward White, who met a Laura Coombs corner only to see her header hit the bar.
City had a late chance to win it deep into stoppage-time but an effort from substitute Isobel Christiansen landed just wide.
Rogers and his team now have a break from action and they will return to the field on Sunday June 26 when they travel to City.
Liverpool Ladies: Chamberlain, Murray, Greenwood, Ingle, Bonner, Longhurst, Coombs, White, Weir (Lundh 84), Harding (Charles 89), Van De Sanden (Hodson 90).
Subs not used: Gibbons, Van Den Berg, Zelem, Pacheco.