BURTON Albion’s winning run in the FAWNL Division One Midlands came to an end after falling to a 3-0 home defeat against Boldmere St. Michaels.
After winning their previous three in the league, the Brewers went behind in first-half stoppage time when Alexandra Liddiard smashed her shot in from close range.
Beating Burton 4-1 in the Birmingham County Cup just a fortnight before, Boldmere replicated their margin of victory, with second-half goals from Stephanie Weston and Chloe Bickley giving the Mikes the victory.
Having drawn the reverse match 0-0, it was Boldmere who had the first chance of the match. Cleared forward by Lois Jefferies, it was Lauren Da’Costa who raced onto the loose ball behind the defence. Driving in from the right, the forward dragged her shot across the goal, with the ball rolling out for a goal kick.
High balls over the top of the Brewers defence were the method of attack shown to be the most profitable early in the game for Boldmere, who looked dangerous when getting in behind.
Provider of the previous opportunity, this time it was Jefferies who latched into the long ball, but her volleyed effort was saved well by Alice Langstone, diving low to her right.
An excellent through ball between the defence then saw Da’Costa in again. Looking like she had run clear of the Brewers defence, a lung-busting recovery from captain Amber Leigh-Denny denied the attacker a shot on goal, forcing the ball out for a corner.
Threatening for most of the opening 45 minutes, the away side had a glorious opportunity just past the half-hour mark.
Dom Gibbons
Whipped in from the right by Jefferies, Pip Harmison jumped the highest, nodding her effort against the post. Bobbling around the box, Charlotte Cresswell reacted the quickest in the Burton box, clearing the ball away from danger.
That missed chance almost cost Boldmere, with the Brewers having a flurry of chances for the 10 minutes that followed.
The match-winner against Leafield, it was Ella Ritchie who went close twice in quick succession. First shooting wide of the post after slaloming past the Mikes’ defence, the forward then saw a venomous strike whistle past the top of the post.
On top, the Brewers had their best chance of the half from a corner. Launched into the box by Danni Oxley, her pinpoint cross was met by Denny, but the defender directed her header just over the bar.
Seemingly going into to the break with the score level, Boldmere broke the deadlock moments before the half-time whistle. Finding space inside the box, LIDDIARD crashed her effort against the underside of the bar and into the net.
Scoring late in the first-half, Boldmere continued their momentum early in the second. First going close through Jefferies, whose looping effort beat Langstone but dropped just over the bar, it was Bickley with the following opportunity.
Dom Gibbons
Positioned in the centre of the box, Bickley powered her free header straight at Langstone, who caught the ball well.
Langstone was then called into action soon after denying Boldmere their second of the game. Shooting from close range, Evie Billingsley was denied by a smart reflex stop by the Brewers keeper, with Hayleigh Sutton ballooning over the rebound.
Another header from Bickley was pushed away by Langstone before the visitors scored their second. Clipped in by Sutton, Stephanie WESTON powered her header low into the corner to double Boldmere’s advantage.
Pushing players forward in an attempt to get back into the game, the Brewers conceded a late third.
Having had two headed efforts saved by Langstone in the second-half, BICKLEY found the net with her third attempt, latching on to a cross from the right to score her second header in as many games.
The Brewers will look to get back to winning ways when they face Long Eaton United on Wednesday night.
A FULL PICTURE GALLERY FROM DOM GIBBONS AND REACTION FROM THE BREWERS CAMP WILL FOLLOW IN THE COMING DAYS.