Niall McVeigh's match report
Second-half goals from Natasha Harding and Niamh Charles earned Liverpool victory over Everton in the opening game of the 2017-18 Women’s Super League.
Liverpool created the better chances throughout the game but were frustrated by their local rivals until Harding turned the ball in after Alex Greenwood’s free-kick created havoc in the Everton area. Liverpool made sure of victory in injury time when 18-year-old substitute Charles reacted quickest after Everton goalkeeper Lizzie Durack had parried Ashley Hodson’s shot.
After Scotland international Caroline Weir tested Durack with a fierce shot, Everton almost opened the scoring against the run of play after 16 minutes. Gemma Bonner’s header to Siobhan Chamberlain was too short, and Casey Stoney was forced to clear Claudia Walker’s lob off the line. Harvard graduate Durack again denied Liverpool after 37 minutes, turning Beth England’s shot behind from point-blank range after Jess Clarke had hit the bar.
Liverpool began the second half strongly, with Weir’s creativity and left-back Greenwood’s deliveries from deep causing problems, and England heading wide five minutes after the restart, and steering a half-volley just over the bar 10 minutes later. Everton were aggrieved by an errant offside flag as new signing Courtney Sweetman-Kirk raced through on goal, and moments later fell behind. The pressure finally told in the 70th minute as Welsh international Harding struck. Everton were unable to muster a fightback, Dutch defender Siri Worm sending a free kick wide before Charles’ late strike.
Here’s Liverpool captain Gemma Bonner: “We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we stuck to the gameplan, got the two goals and thoroughly deserved the win.”
And opening scorer Natasha Harding: “We haven’t had the best of pre-seasons, but today was a clean slate. It’s a derby, we knew Everton would be tough but we got the three points.”
Full time: Everton 0-2 Liverpool
That’s all she wrote, as goals from Natasha Harding and Niamh Charles secure a deserved derby victory for Liverpool.
GOAL! Everton 0-2 Liverpool (Charles 93')
Teenager Niamh Charles settles this one, teeing up Hodson down the right and reacting quickest after Durack parried her team-mate’s angled shot! That’s her first WSL goal.
91 mins: Siri Worm – maybe the most sci-fi name in football – is over the free kick, but bends a weak shot wide when a cross looked the better option.
90 mins: There will be four added minutes, and Everton have a free kick after Kelly is barged off the ball...
88 mins: Hodson’s snap-shot is blocked, and Liverpool keep it in the corner. Weir then dallies over a throw-in, and is booked for time wasting.
86 mins: Garratt has a quiet word with Andy Spence, who’s been increasingly agitated on the touchline.
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85 mins: Weir, a bright creative spark throughout the game, sees Durack off her line but can’t keep her long-range shot down.
83 mins: Everton are struggling to make any headway, and Liverpool look comfortable with just over five minutes to go. Ashley Hodson comes on for Liverpool, replacing Beth England.
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“Thanks for this MBM,” says Sarah Rothwell. “I’d like come up with some funny banter to entertain you, but for now I’m just grateful that I can follow this match so that’ll have to do.”
Glad to be of service, and funny banter is by no means a pre-requisite. If we don’t do it, why should you, etc and so on.
79 mins: ...but at the other end, Turner’s cross is handled out of play by Chamberlain. Turner takes the corner, but it curls over the bar.
78 mins: Charles draws another fine save from Durack, who turns her fierce near-post shot away...
77 mins: A couple of changes for Everton – Simone Magill replaces Sweetman-Kirk, and Chloe Kelly is on for Jodie Brett.
75 mins: Liverpool sitting back momentarily, but Everton are unable to take the game to them. Perhaps fitness is becoming an issue in Everton’s first season as a full-time side...
72 mins: Liverpool getting more time and space in the final third now, and Coombs picks out Weir with a well weighted cross. Weir can’t get a clean shot away under pressure, and Durack saves low to her left.
71 mins: Andy Spence may feel aggrieved at that offside call a moment before, but he’ll need to change Everton’s counter-attacking gameplan to rescue a point now.
GOAL! Everton 0-1 Liverpool (Harding 70')
Liverpool win a free kick on the left, near the corner flag. Greenwood serves up another tricky delivery and after a goalmouth melee, Natasha Harding stabs the ball home!
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68 mins: Harding’s effort from distance is gathered by Durack, who launches a counter-attack. Sweetman-Kirk latches on to a diagonal ball and is through on goal – but the flag is up! Wrongly, as replays show.
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67 mins: Charles gets her first chance to run at her marker, but Worm does well to stop her in her tracks.
66 mins: Jodie Brett has options either side of her in midfield, but opts for a long-range effort that’s on target, but easy for Chamberlain to gather.
64 mins: Liverpool looking the more likely once again, and another belting Greenwood cross causes panic in the Everton defence. The visitors just need to get that final touch...
“The Everton goalie studied biology at Harvard?” says Peter Oh. “Johan Cruyff said that football is a game you play with your brain, so she’s got a bright future...” Indeed. I can’t think of many other footballers with Ivy League degrees, but happy to be corrected.
61 mins: Almost a terrific finish from England, stretching to meet a low cross from the left and sending her shot inches over the top corner. Durack wasn’t stopping that one...
60 mins: Another opportunity on the break for Everton, with Sweetman-Kirk stroking the ball into Walker’s path. A neat stepover puts her into a foot race with Bonner, who does well to clear the ball under pressure.
58 mins: Jess Clarke, the least effective of Liverpool’s front three so far, is replaced by 18-year-old Niamh Charles.
57 mins: Durack stays on her line and Stoney is almost there to meet the corner – but Walker does just enough to put her off, and Everton scramble the loose ball away!
56 mins: Clarke has two chances in quick succession to whip a low cross in, but Everton do well to clear both away. Liverpool corner...
55 mins: Everton break again and Brett’s diagonal pass finds Walker, who barrels at the Liverpool defence this time. Her shot is well struck, but easy enough for Siobhan Chamberlain.
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53 mins: Munsterman wins possession with a thumping challenge on Murray, and Everton can break forward – but Walker passes sideways and the chance is gone.
52 mins: Early change for Everton, with new signing Angharad James coming on for Mollie Green.
51 mins: Everton captain Danielle Turner does well to stop Harding from jinking past her on the byline. Liverpool keep the ball, but England’s shot on the turn is blocked.
49 mins: Another chance goes begging for Liverpool! Greenwood’s cross from the left is perfect for England – but the striker can’t get her header on target.
47 mins: Play is stopped with England down after a heavy challenge. She’s OK to continue.
We're back!
The second half is under way; no changes at half-time.
Lizzie Durack impressed in the first half, making saves from Weir and England to keep Everton level. She’s had quite the journey – born in Sydney, she played in the W-League before moving to Harvard to study biology. An e-mail inquiry from the FA led Durack, whose mum was born in Doncaster, to England under-19 trials. Now at Everton full-time, she’s also played six minutes as a full England international.
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The stadium PA is currently blaring out this absolute banger:
Half time: Everton 0-0 Liverpool
Plenty of effort and intensity, not much in the way of clear-cut chances as the first half ends goalless. Jess Clarke hit the bar for Liverpool, with Casey Stoney clearing off the line at the other end. Back soon.
45 mins: Liverpool win a free kick right by the left touchline, but Everton clear it away. One minute of added time.
44 mins: Everton enjoy a spell of possession but can’t bring Walker or Sweetman-Kirk into the game – something they’ve struggled with in the first half.
42 mins: It’s all gone a little quiet again, as Sweetman-Kirk is flagged offside. Everton’s nickname, by the way, is the Blue Girls. Not the best, is it?
40 mins: Play restarts with a drop-ball, which I’m happy to report was actually contested. Liverpool win it, but Everton’s pressing forces them back into their own half.
38 mins: A nasty clash of heads between Bonner and George, who had charged back to help Durack out from a dangerous corner.
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37 mins: Liverpool hit the bar! From a deep free-kick, Weir hits a pinpoint cross and Clarke rattles the crossbar with her header! It rebounds to England, who looks certain to score – but Durack gets down brilliantly to turn her shot behind!
35 mins: England and Weir combine artfully down the left before the latter finds Natasha Harding, whose cross-shot is grasped by Durack before Jess Clarke can pounce on it.
34 mins: Green-on-Greenwood in midfield, as the Everton midfielder takes down the Liverpool left-back. It looked a bad challenge, but the referee waves play on.
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33 mins: Everton win a cheap corner as Stoney’s back-pass bobbles out of play. Weir heads it away and George, lurking on the edge of the area, curls her shot wide.
32 mins: Walker goes up against Bonner once again, but this time gets no change from the centre-back, who takes the ball with a clean tackle on the edge of the area.
30 mins: Sweetman-Kirk is a yard offside from a promising through ball. Everton have been mostly kept on the back foot, but have had a handful of decent openings.
Here’s the latest on, well, you know:
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28 mins: Yellow card for Megan Finnigan, who stands on Harding’s heels to stop a Liverpool breakaway. Another promising free-kick, and Weir’s effort is closer than Coombs’s, dipping just too late!
27 mins: Walker, who has been at the heart of Everton’s best attacking moves, gets Sweetman-Kirk involved. She cuts the ball back to Turner, whose terrific cross is just beyond the reach of Jodie Brett, racing forward from midfield.
25 mins: Gabby George steps across Beth England to stop her reaching Greenwood’s cross. Half-hearted appeals for a penalty follow, but Garratt isn’t interested.
24 mins: ...but her effort zips a few feet over the bar.
23 mins: From a Liverpool corner, Everton are penalised for a foul on Bonner. Had play carried on, Beth England was ready to pounce on the loose ball. Instead, a chance for Coombs to shoot from 20 yards out...
21 mins: A lull in the tempo, as both teams try and fail to find space in behind with long balls.
18 mins: Laura Coombs fires a speculative effort from almost 40 yards that drifts wide of Durack’s far post.
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16 mins: Everton inches from taking the lead against the run of play, as Bonner misjudges her header back to Chamberlain. Claudia Walker nipped in and chipped the keeper – but Casey Stoney got back to clear off the line!
14 mins: Greenwood again looks to pick out a team-mate with a long diagonal ball, but Weir can’t quite latch onto it.
12 mins: After a helter-skelter opening, Liverpool are starting to control possession, and Greenwood tests the Everton defence with a run into the box. Turner clears away, and the corner is dealt with.
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10 mins: Oof! Durack is called into action again, and does well to turn a stinging shot from Caroline Weir over the bar!
9 mins: Bonner lifts a long free-kick into the box, but it drifts through to Lizzie Durack, Everton’s Australia-born keeper who’s back from a spell studying at Harvard, no less.
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7 mins: Decent chance for Liverpool’s Beth England as Jess Clarke’s cross loops up off Brougham – but her header is placed wide of the far post.
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5 mins: This venue is the home of rugby league’s Widnes Vikings, and has an artificial pitch that looks a little careworn after a long season. It’s not helping either team get the ball down and play early on.
4 mins: Mollie Green’s through ball finds Walker through the middle – but Casey Stoney and Bonner step up and the Everton striker is flagged offside.
3 mins: Liverpool captain Gemma Bonner rises highest to clear a long Everton free kick.
1 min: Liverpool win a corner, which Greenwood plays short and hammers across the box – but Everton clear.
Peep!
Referee Sarah Garratt gets us under way.
Fixtures
This match kicks off the opening weekend in both divisions, with the rest of the games happening on Saturday.
WSL 1: Chelsea v Bristol City, Arsenal v Birmingham City, Reading v Sunderland, Yeovil Town v Manchester City.
WSL 2: Durham v Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa v Brighton, London Bees v Doncaster Rovers Belles, Oxford United v Sheffield FC, Millwall Lionesses v Watford.
Anybody out there? Five minutes until kick-off. If this is all new to you, there’s no harm in reading a couple of previews to get in the zone:
Team news
Everton (4-4-2): Durack; Turner (c), George, Brougham, Worm; Munstermann, Finnigan, Brett, Green; Walker, Sweetman-Kirk.
Subs: Levell, Boye-Hlorkah, Magill, Kelly, James, Chance, Bryson.
Liverpool (4-3-3): Chamberlain; Murray, Bonner (c), Stoney, Greenwood; Ingle, Coombs, Weir; England, Harding, Clarke.
Subs: Flaherty, Fletcher, Rodgers, Longhurst, Hodson, Johnson, Charles.
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Preamble
Welcome to the start of a new chapter in women’s domestic football. Shifting the Women’s Super League season from summer to winter is the next step in a long-term plan, aiming to establish a full-time professional league top division. The last full WSL season finished 12 months ago, with momentum maintained by a competitive Spring Series, and England’s success at Euro 2017.
That was the idea, anyway – but recent events mean the focus has strayed far from the field, casting an unfortunate shadow over an intriguing opening derby. Everton, newly full-time and elected to the top flight after Notts County’s collapse, take on 2013 and 2014 champions Liverpool, who have been knocked off their perch by the aggressive development of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Liverpool are favourites for this away fixture in Widnes, the ground they also call home. Despite the departure of Dutch superstar Shanice van de Sanden, familiar names fill their side, from England defenders Casey Stoney and Alex Greenwood to playmaker Caroline Weir, who starred for Scotland in the Euros. 18-year-old winger Niamh Charles will be another to watch as coach Scott Rogers looks to challenge the big spenders.
Everton, once one of the league’s big hitters, have been given another crack at the top flight. Andy Spence’s squad is in a state of flux, with captain Michelle Hinnigan leaving on the eve of the season and Twente duo Siri Worm and Marthe Munstermann among a host of new names. With a team composed entirely of players 25 and under, the future looks bright if they can pull off a few surprises this season – starting tonight.
