Gareth Taylor’s side just fell short at Villa Park as Rachael Daly’s toe-poke with 15 minutes to play saw us lose 4-3 on Matchday One.
Villa struck first, as Laia Aleixandri was intercepted deep inside our half by Daly, Alisha Lehmann picked up the second ball and drove into the box before striking across the face of goal, which beat Ellie Roebuck, much to the joy of the home crowd.
Just 10 minutes after their first, the home side capitalised on a failed clearance from a corner by Alex Greenwood, and the ball fell to Daly, who’s acrobatic finish on the half turn flew past Roebuck to double the lead for Carla Ward’s side.
Just before half time, City grabbed a lifeline as Bunny Shaw flicked a pass through to Laura Coombs, who cut inside past the defender, and her shot stung the palms of Hampton and bounced into the net.
City levelled through Shaw after the break and then went ahead as, first Coombs’ half volley rifled into the net to turn the game around in the space of just one minute and 20 seconds.
Kenza Dali then levelled the scores for the hots before Daly bagged her second - and the winner - as City fell to opening day defeat.
Catch the best of the action via the video above …
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