Danielle Carlton celebrates.
Image by: Geoff Penn
COPSEWOOD 0ALBION 3
Gibbons '2
Carlton '67
Green '72
Brighton & Hove Albion women secured their seventh consecutive victory in all competitions after a hard-fought 3-0 victory at Copsewood.
Fliss Gibbons broke the deadlock after just two minutes before Danielle Carlton and Amy Green added extra gloss to the scoreline in the second half.
Danielle Carlton and Vicky Ashton-Jones were both handed their debuts after recovering from long-term knee injuries while Lauren Davis also made her first appearance for the club.
It was the hosts that had the first opportunity of the game after winning a free-kick on the edge of the box, which Kayleigh Steele took and resulted in a comfortable save from Faye Baker.
But Albion took the lead just seconds later as Charley Boswell drove forward and her scuffed shot found its way to Gibbons, who tapped home from close range.
The Seagulls pressed in search of a second goal in quick succession but were faced with a well-organised Copsewood defence.
Carlton had the next opportunity for Albion after seeing her free-kick blocked, before Charlotte Owen’s shot was collected by keeper Nikki Duncan.
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The hosts then attempted to make inroads as Rebecca-Jane Duncan weaved her way into the box, only to see her curling strike go wide of the far post.Green then found herself in space on the edge of the box for Albion but her tame strike was saved by Duncan once again.
Captain Jay Blackie showed some good strength on the right-hand side to set up Gibbons, but Duncan got down quickly to save the shot.
The Seagulls had a couple of half-chances in the 20 minutes after the re-start as Carlton saw another set piece blocked, before Owen fired a shot wide.
Albion effectively killed the game off as a contest when Blackie was fouled on the edge of the box and Carlton struck the resulting free-kick beyond Duncan.
A third goal arrived five minutes later when a superb delivery from Carlton was headed home by Green with 18 minutes remaining on the clock.
The Seagulls thought they had netted a fourth as Blackie cut inside and her shot was guided into the net by Owen, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag.
ALBION: Baker; Davis (Rowe 65), Ashton-Jones, C Cooper, Carlton; Boswell, Blackie, Green; Somes (Burt 75), Owen, Gibbons.
[h=3]ALBION V REading
[/h]FRIDAY 26TH DECember, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]ALBION V brentford
[/h]saturday 17th january, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]Albion v ipswich
[/h]SATURDAY 24TH JANUARY, kick-off 3pm
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