Aston Villa wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Bodymoor Heath this afternoon.
Robert de Pauw’s side made it an unbeaten summer as an own goal and Lucy Staniforth’s strike either side of the break sealed the victory.
Villa took an early lead as Paula Tomas made it three goal involvements in her last three games. Kenza Dali fed a pass down the left on the seventh minute for the Spaniard to run on to, she then charged through the box before seeing her short cross turned home by a City defender.
Mary Fowler and Jess Park were both denied the chance to level the scoring on the 25th minute as both of their shots from inside the box were both strongly blocked and eventually cleared.
Fowler had another chance in front of goal on the stroke of half-time as she drilled a chance along the grass and goalwards, but Sabrina D’Angelo got down to collect.
Tomas charged through the away side’s half on the 57th minute before feeding a well-weighted pass through to Katie Robinson who took a touch before firing a shot just over goal.
Staniforth doubled Villa’s lead on the 71st minute as a corner kick from Jordan Nobbs eventually fell to the midfielder who smashed a shot into the bottom right hand corner of goal.
City reduced the deficit five minutes later as Bunny Shaw came off the bench to pull one back.
Villa continued to stand firm in the game’s remaining quarter as they ensured that they head into the new Barclays Women’s Super League on the back off an unbeaten pre-season.
