PORTSMOUTH 2Quinn ‘28
Hillier ‘56
*
ALBION 1
Gibbons ‘80
*
- Portsmouth complete the league double over Albion.
- Strikes from Gemma Hillier and Lucy Quinn give Pompey the win.
- Fliss Gibbons on target for Albion in the 80th minute.
- The Seagulls remain third following the defeat.
Brighton & Hove Albion women’s promotion prospects were dealt a major blow following a 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth at Privett Park.The result means Albion remain in third place, but are now three points behind their south-coast rivals in second place, having played a game more.
Albion created the first chance of the game inside the opening three minutes when Charlotte Gurr found Jay Blackie inside the box and her header forced a fine save from Pompey keeper Sadie Blakely.
Portsmouth also threatened the Seagulls' goal in the opening stages, as Molly Clark’s free-kick found its way to Quinn on the edge of the box but she shot wide.
Gurr had a opportunity of her own to break the deadlock when her free kick drifted narrowly past the outstretched Blakely and her left-hand post.
Further chances fell to Amy Taylor, Blackie and Deanna Cooper before Pompey broke the deadlock in the 28th minute through Quinn.
Sarah Kempson found Quinn inside the box with a cross from the left-hand side and the striker despatched a left-footed strike beyond Seagulls keeper Faye Baker.
Pompey could have netted a second before the interval after Charley Wilson almost took advantage of a defensive mix up between Vicky Ashton-Jones and Baker, but Albion recovered to clear the danger.
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Pompey made a bright start to the second half and doubled their advantage 11 minutes after the restart, as Gemma Hillier showed some good composure in the box to slot the ball past Baker from Wilson’s cross.James Marrs’s side struggled to get beyond a resolute Pompey defence, but managed to do so when Lucy Somes beat Jess Frampton to the ball but Blakely made a good low save.
Deanna Cooper then stole the ball from the centre of midfield but her early shot from distance was a tame one and Blakely produced a comfortable save.
But Albion halved the deficit with ten minutes of normal time remaining as Gurr’s corner was slid home by Gibbons at the far post following two blocked shots from Deanna Cooper.
Charlotte Owen and Sophie Perry were both brought on to add fresh impetus to the Albion attack and the two substitutes linked up well down the left-hand side to almost create a chance for Gurr, but the Pompey defence cleared the danger.
Albion had a golden opportunity to snatch a point late on when Perry’s close-range effort was somehow saved by Blakely before Frampton deflected Gurr’s effort behind, as the hosts secured all three points.
*
ALBION: F Baker (GK); Boswell, Ashton-Jones, D Cooper, Gurr; Somes (Perry 60), Carlton (Owen 69), Barton; Taylor, Blackie, Gibbons. Subs not used: C Cooper, E Baker, Green.
[h=3]ALBION V NORWICH
[/h]FRIDAY 3RD APRIL, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]ALBION V BOURNEMOUTH
[/h]FRIDAY 10TH APRIL, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V HUDDERSFIELD
[/h]TUESDAY 14TH APRIL, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
Original article