A first-half Toni Duggan strike cancelled out Eniola Aluko’s opener as the two sides met for the second time in a week, after Bank Holiday Monday’s FA Women’s Cup semi-final clash at Adams Park.
On that day, a solitary Ji- So-Yun effort proved enough to separate the sides and send the Londoners to Wembley – and before this clash, Nick Cushing urged his side to secure some revenge on themselves for that defeat with a positive result on Sunday evening.
With a nine-week break following this encounter, both sides were eager to end the first half of the season with a victory. With just four points on the board in the FA Women’s Super League table, City were desperate to add to that tally as soon as possible.
Cushing opted to make just one change to the side that faced Chelsea in Wycombe, with Karen Bardsley replacing Alex Brooks to make her return following her suspension and subsequent injury.
In Jill Scott’s absence, Chelsea Nightingale kept her place in the centre of midfield alongside Isobel Christiansen.
Duggan and Aluko were in the spotlight during the week as the City hot-shot stitched up her best mate on the Clare Balding Show – so it was fitting the two would hit the headlines again with a goal apiece to earn their respective teams a point in this contest.
After a stop-start opening period which consisted of a single chance each for either side – Duggan’s drilled off-target effort and Katie Chapman’s low drive - Aluko opened the scoring when So-Yun burst forward before playing a fine reverse pass into the striker, who made no mistake with the finish to get back at her friend and England counterpart.
City responded well and almost found an instant equaliser through Demi Stokes but the left-back could only find the side-netting.
Drew Spence then spurned a glorious chance for the away side, blazing over the bar, before the hosts did net a leveller.
Not to be outdone by her opposite number, Duggan was the one to find it – curling home from just inside the area, after Natasha Harding picked up on Hedvig Lindahl’s error before unselfishly squaring for her teammate, via Christiansen’s clever dummy, to tie the game before the break.
The encounter continued where it left off in the second half with both sides struggling to retain possession.
Bardlsey was called into action again on 68 minutes, diving well to gather Chapman’s header and preventing Aluko from snapping up any chance of a rebound.
In a bid to settle his side and bring on some fresh legs, Cushing introduced Natasha Flint and Abbie McManus, and a late stoppage in play allowed the hosts to regroup and receive further advice from the boss.
It was almost an inspired substitution. Duggan battled excellently to win back possession and embarked on a wonderful run into the box. Looking up, she spotted Flint in the centre and crossed for the youngster, who fired straight at Lindahl before the ball was cleared away.
It was the best chance of the half for either side to find a winner and left City once again ruing a lack of composure and ruthlessness in and around the box.
Still, a point against a high-flying Chelsea side is not to be sniffed at and ensures Cushing’s side head into the break on the back of an encouraging result.
