Liverpool FC Women 4, Aston Villa 1: Reds Climb Out Of The Basement

Liverpool FC Women seized the chance to escape the relegation zone, dismantling Aston Villa 4-1 at home and recording their highest Barclays Women’s Super League goal tally of the campaign. The victory, only their second of the league season, lifts Gareth Taylor’s side above Leicester City into tenth place, a position they last occupied in the autumn.

With Leicester having lost to Arsenal 24 hours earlier, the Reds knew three points would be enough to climb the table, and they wasted no time asserting control. Inside six minutes Ceri Holland threaded a precise pass down the left channel for Mia Enderby, who ghosted in at the far post to finish first-time and open the scoring.

The early breakthrough settled nerves, and the hosts doubled the advantage eight minutes later. Grace Fisk’s raking diagonal found Alejandra Bernabé, whose driven cross deflected off a Villa defender and sat up invitingly for Martha Thomas to hook home from close range.

Aston Villa, winless in their previous four league outings, briefly rallied when former Red Miri Taylor arrowed a blistering strike under the bar against her old club on 41 minutes, but the visitors still trailed at the interval.

The second half was barely two minutes old when a nasty collision between goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo and Bernabé forced the Canada international off with facial swelling; Ellie Roebuck took her place between the posts and was called into action almost immediately, parrying Fisk’s header from a Holland free-kick.

Taylor introduced fresh legs on 65 minutes, sending on January arrivals Alice Bergstrom and Aurélie Csillag for Enderby and Thomas. Bergstrom twice went close, first crossing for Holland to volley over and later sprinting 40 yards before a heavy touch allowed Villa to clear.

With ten minutes remaining the Reds’ pressure told. Jenna Clark twice kept a corner alive, chesting the ball into the path of captain Grace Fisk, who lashed a volley through a crowded box and in off the knee of a sliding defender to restore the two-goal cushion.

Eight minutes of stoppage time were signalled, yet any lingering anxiety evaporated in the 95th minute when Gemma Bonner’s clearance found Csillag. The Swedish striker held off her marker, cut inside and rifled a low shot past Roebuck to complete the scoring.

The result moves Liverpool onto ten points, one clear of Leicester, who hold a game in hand, and keeps them within striking distance of West Ham and Everton above them. Taylor’s squad now turn their attention to a daunting trip to Stamford Bridge next Sunday, where they will face a Chelsea side unexpectedly scrapping for third place.