Everton Ladies 2 Birmingham City Ladies 2
Midway through the second half a mammoth goal kick by Blues Ladies keeper Sue Wood was missed by Everton defender Lindsay Johnson as Becky Hall went in hot pursuit. Everton keeper Danielle Hill may have had an eye on the Blues winger as she advanced and misjudged the bounce to strand herself in no-man’s land as Hall kept her cool to smash the ball into an unguarded net.
Not content with an assist, seven minutes from time Wood drew an ovation from the crowd with a breathtaking save. Jody Handley was afforded space as she advanced into the area on the right but Wood stood up to block her powerful effort only for the ball to deflect to Fara Williams ten yards out, the resulting follow-up was destined for the roof of the net but somehow the grounded Birmingham keeper hauled herself up and arched her back to miraculously get a fingertip to the ball and claw it over, securing Blues a point they richly deserved.
Wood had been in action as early as the fourth minute to push away a rising Michelle Evans effort but the keeper, along with every other player on the park, was bemused when the referee pointed to the spot two minutes later in the aftermath of an innocuous looking Everton cross, indicating a push.
Williams took advantage with a confident penalty into the bottom right-hand corner.
Blues were level in the 22nd minute, Hall picking out Maz Gauntlett who strode into the area and saw her shot saved by Hill only for the ball to fall to Dannii Bird, who won half a yard of space in the area before slotting into a gaping net. Within a minute Hill almost made a hash of Hall’s attempted lob, just managing to back-pedal enough to palm it over.
Heather Scheuber came close for Blues in the 39th minute with a tremendous dipping volley which went narrowly over from 30 yards.
The visitors had a scare early in the second period when Faye Cardin, stationed on the left-hand post at a corner, had to head off her line but there was a whiff of controversy about Everton’s second goal, in the 66th minute.
Blues’ England under-19s midfielder Chelsea Weston appeared to have won the ball with a typically robust challenge but the referee thought otherwise and Jo Potter, recently recruited as a coach in Birmingham’s centre of excellence, whipped in the dead ball from the right for Natasha Dowie to bravely get her head in front of Wood’s fists to divert the ball in.
Wood deservedly had the final say as Birmingham posted their second league draw against Everton, the only side bar Arsenal Mo Marley’s team have dropped points against this season.
Teams, Everton: Danielle Hill; Becky Easton, Rachel Unitt, Amy Kane, Emily Westwood, Lindsay Johnson, Jody Handley, Jill Scott, Natasha Dowie (Toni Duggan, 83min), Fara Williams, Michelle Evans (Jo Potter, 61). Subs not used: Leanne Duffy, Karen Boyle.
Blues: Sue Wood; Faye Cardin, Laura Bassett, Kerys Harrop, Katy Ward; Becky Hall, Sally Lacey, Heather Scheuber, Chelsea Weston, Dannii Bird; Maz Gauntlett (Crissy Torkildsen, 75). Subs not used: Steph Samuels, Amy McCann, Sinead Wade, Milly Durrant.
