Bradford City Ladies 2 v 2 Stoke City Ladies (FA Women’s Premier League)
Bradford City Ladies entertained high flying Stoke City Ladies at Ainsbury Avenue, Thackley this weekend. The game ended in a 2-2 draw and gives Bradford another point as they continue to improve in the Premier League.
Stoke City started the game stronger and had a number of chances in the first fifteen minutes, their first real chance fell to Chantelle Gallagher who got onto the end of a Laura Garside cross, but her header was well saved by Bradford’s Carrie Simpson.
Bradford City nearly took the lead on ten minutes, when Stoke goalkeeper Alice Langstone failed to hold onto a corner kick, only to see Abigail Garland’s shot cleared off the line.
A few minutes later, Caroline Omboyi beat the offside trap and the Stoke City defence to have a clear run at the Stoke City goal, however her shot was well saved by Langstone in the Stoke goal.
Both teams started creating scoring opportunities but it was Bradford who opened the scoring with a typical Omboyi out stretched boot that directed the ball wide of the Stoke keeper on the twenty-third minute to give Bradford the lead.
The first half continued with chances coming at both ends of the field, Stoke City played to their strengths with long balls over the top of the Bradford back four, normally down the right hand flank.
On forty-four minutes, Stoke City drew level as Laura Garside managed to get on the end of a long through ball and around the Bradford goalkeeper before sliding the ball into an empty net.
At the start of the second half, Bradford changed their formation to combat the Stoke City long ball, the change in tactics worked and Bradford started to control the game.
On the sixty-five minutes, a well worked move down the right hand side involving Charlotte Stuart and Bridie Hannon caught the Stoke left back napping; Hannon then sent over a cross which was met by the head of Omboyi and went straight into the back of the net to give City a 2-1 lead.
Stoke continued to look dangerous in attack as Bradford were forced further and further back in the final ten minutes. In the dying minutes of the half, Bradford conceded a free kick in a dangerous area.
With both tired legs and minds, Bradford appeared to switch off as the Stoke free-kick was headed home by Louise Roberts from close range to level the score at 2-2.
This was another well earned point for Bradford City against a high flying Stoke City side who currently sit third in the Premier League.
Match Details
Bradford City Ladies – Simpson, Parkin, Redgrave, Dobson, Boshell, Stuart, Garland, Hannon, Omboyi, Fawcett, McDonnell, (Subs)
Stoke City Ladies – Langstone, Atherton, Lowrie, Roberts, Weston, Bowyer, Mallett, Tezgel, Garside, Keryakoplis, Gallagher (Subs) James, Foxhall, Lilly, Boulton
Goals – (Bradford City Ladies) Omboyi (23,65) (Stoke City Ladies) Garside (42), Roberts (89)
Attendance – 33
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