Mary Fowler has taken full advantage of her opportunity to start for Manchester City in the absence of rested star striker Khadija Shaw, scoring one goal and laying on the other in the Women’s Super League contenders’ 2-0 win over West Ham.
But there was frustration for fellow Matilda Caitlin Foord whose late shot looked as if it was going to earn Arsenal a late win over lowly Everton, only for the strike to rattle off the crossbar in what may prove a damaging 0-0 draw for the title hopefuls.
One unlikely Matilda on the scoresheet in Sunday’s programme was Tottenham defender Clare Hunt, who popped up with her first goal for the club in the 83rd minute — albeit a fortuitous one — which still wasn’t enough for them to avoid a late 3-2 home defeat to Liverpool.
Fowler’s chances of a starting berth for City have been limited with the WSL contenders enjoying so many attacking riches, but the 21-year-old was included after they decided to rest golden boot winner Shaw for the visit of Katrina Gorry-captained West Ham.
That gave Fowler the chance to demonstrate her dazzling ability once again up front, as she somehow managed to wheedle the ball through to Lauren Hemp in the 10th minute while surrounded by three defenders, enabling the England striker to ram home the first goal.
Gorry led the resistance, foraging down the right flank to provide the cross that Dagny Brynjarsdottir should have headed home for a first-half equaliser.
But after City had laboured despite all their dominance, the introduction of Shaw proved decisive when she manoeuvred skilfully to float in a cross from the right which Fowler, peeling away to the back post, headed into a practically unguarded net for her first WSL goal of the season.
At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal welcomed back Matildas’ Olympic captain Steph Catley from injury as she and Foord were brought off the bench to try to break the deadlock against Clare Wheeler’s Everton.
It nearly worked as Catley found her international teammate with a cross that Foord took down in the final minute before unleashing the shot that hit the woodwork.
Hunt, signed by Spurs from Paris St Germain in the close season, looked as if she would be Tottenham’s late hero when she pushed up from central defence into the box, and turned neatly to fire a left-footed shot on goal, only for the ball to be heavily deflected by Liverpool defender Gemma Bonner into the net.
Hayley Raso had proved an attacking thorn for Spurs all afternoon, and also nearly curled in a late goal, but the last laugh went to Liverpool who were awarded a 95th minute penalty, converted for her second goal of the afternoon by Marie Hobinger.
AAP
