Nottingham Forest 0 Birmingham 1
In the 65th minute, left-back Katy Ward picked out Hall on the edge of the area and the former Wolves star worked the ball onto her right foot, turned her marker inside out and fired into the roof past Forest keeper Claire Wallhead.
With a number of Birmingham absentees, Coventry loanee Natasha Lynch proved a revelation in the heart of defence. Signed as cover before the Combination season kicks off, Lynch put in an imperious display, shutting out Forest’s forwards and twice putting her head fearlessly in where the boots were flying for her trouble to give Wilson something to think about.
And Blues did not have it all their own way against the Northern Division champions with Forest’s Catherine Lawson sending a corner onto the post in the 17th minute of a lively encounter.
Hall had a strong penalty appeal ignored in the 41st minute after being felled in the area as Maz Gauntlett’s follow-up effort was impressively palmed around the post by Wallhead.
Eight minutes after the break Hall’s pinpoint cross fell perfectly for Crissy Torkildsen only for her team-mate - given a first outing in her preferred central midfield - to loft her shot over from eight yards.
Heather Schueber, revelling in the responsibility of captaining the visitors, found Amy McCann on the right two minutes later and the Northern Ireland striker found Hall in time and space only for the winger’s goalbound effort to be brilliantly turned behind by Wallhead.
Forest had their own penalty claims waved away two minutes later as Natalie Staneff went down under challenge from McCann as she tried to reach a Lawson corner at the far post.
Two minutes on and McCann was unable to get enough contact to a Milly Durrant cross from the right and the ball flew across the face of goal.
The frenetic pace continued with Blues keeper Sue Wood gathering at the second attempt in the 61st minute after Natalie Clark cut in from the left and let fly and within seconds McCann was narrowly wide of the top right corner at the other end after working herself space on the edge of the area.
Birmingham could have doubled their lead in the 73rd minute but for a breathtaking Wallhead save, the grounded keeper somehow keeping the ball out with her leg as a low, angled Gauntlett drive deflected off home defender Kelly Finley.
Within minutes Forest could have levelled, Samantha Griffiths firing against the bar from the tightest of angles after Wood lost a cross from the left.
Seven minutes from time McCann sent Ward scampering down the left and the resulting inch-perfect cross found Durrant ahead of her marker only for the Wales forward to drag her effort wide of the mark. Less than a minute later Torkildsen left Forest sub Sophie Krivinskas in her wake and powered into the area before crossing for Gauntlett whose low drive was well saved by Wallhead.
Teams; Forest: Claire Wallhead, Catherine Stainthorpe (Dani Duffy, 58min), Kelly Finley, Natalie Staneff, Samantha Griffiths, Catherine Lawson (Sophie Krivinskas, 71), Natalie Clark, Lauren Cresswell, Andrea Bell, Emily Simpkins, Carla Tomkins (Reanne Thomas, 77).
Blues Ladies: Sue Wood; faye Cardin, Natasha Lynch, Kerys Harrop, Katy Ward; Milly Durrant (Chloe Foster, 92), Crissy Torkildsen, Heather Scheuber, Becky Hall (Keeley Lowe, 95); Amy McCann, Maz Gauntlett (Laura Husselbee, 77).
