Birmingham City Women vs Manchester United Women. Women's Super League.
St. Andrew's StadiumAttendance650.
Match report and highlights as Marc Skinner inflicts fourth WSL defeat from four on former club Birmingham; Leah Galton, Ella Toone seal Man Utd victory at St Andrew's; United host struggling City next in Manchester derby
Monday 4 October 2021 09:30, UK
Manchester United moved up to fourth in the Women's Super League and kept Birmingham seeking their first points of the season with a 2-0 win at St Andrew's.
Leah Galton's 27th-minute strike was finally followed by a late Ella Toone tap-in (80) as the visitors bounced back from a 6-1 thrashing by Chelsea to move level on points with the reigning champions after a third win from four.
United had enough chances for the scoreline to have been greater, Toone hitting the post before making sure of the points, but Marc Skinner's side take welcome momentum into next weekend's Manchester derby, in contrast to their stuttering city rivals.
Birmingham, off the bottom only on goal difference, offered only fleeting threat and their 16-game winless home run is now a WSL record, with this latest defeat inflicted by their former manager.
Both sides were out to bounce back after respective routs by Chelsea - Birmingham losing 4-0 in the FA Cup and United humbled 6-1 in the league - but chances were at a premium in a scrappy opening.
The visitors dominated the ball without really testing Emily Ramsey, who was allowed to face her parent club after the sides reached a pre-match agreement, and Birmingham had the game's first genuine chance when Lucy Whipp darted down the left and centred, only for a stretching Lucy Quinn to fire wide.
United were slowly finding their groove and finally made the breakthrough just before the hour mark, Hannah Blundell - slid in by Maria Thorisdottir - driving to the byline and prodding back for Galton to finish first-time into the bottom corner.
Skinner's side might have had more to show for some smart link-up play but Toone's clever pass for Jackie Groenen was just too heavy and Galton's delivery from the left with Katie Zelem bursting into the box was too close to Ramsey.
Galton should have had a second herself minutes after the break when Alessia Russo - busy on her first start of the season - drove goalwards from halfway and found her team-mate, whose low drive was fierce but wide of the far post.
Birmingham were pegged back as the arrival of Kirsty Hanson allowed Toone to roam more centrally and gave United more impetus but the underworked Mary Earps had to bravely thwart Harriet Scott after a corner provided a scare.
Groenen went close with a curling shot and Blundell inexplicably scooped over the bar, before Toone clipped the post after a smart run across her marker as United continued to be scuppered, Blues' Louise Quinn as much of a scourge as their own finishing.
But they rarely looked like paying for their profligacy and Toone finally sealed the victory, tapping in from close-range after Blundell, sent free by Zelem, recorded her second assist of the night from the opposite flank.
Sky Sports' Karen Carney:
"Man Utd were outstanding in the second half.
"They used their width more, pulled Birmingham apart, tired them out. The passing to break the lines in the final third was brilliant but it could have been three, four, five with the amount of chances they created.
"I just think they're still missing that No. 9."
Sky Sports' Sue Smith:
"There have been some brilliant Man Utd displays but I'm going to give this to a Birmingham player in Louise Quinn. She's been so solid defensively - headers, clearances, tackles - and without her, Man Utd would probably have scored a lot more."
Louise Quinn to Sky Sports:
"It was a really difficult game. We left 100 per cent out on the pitch.
"We tried to frustrate them - and at times I thought we did it really well. It's just those little moments - small mistakes or lapses in concentration, as well as quality from United.
"It's disappointing but we keep digging deep and I'm massively proud of the girls."
Birmingham boss Scott Booth: "We just have to keep working. We defended really well at times; the frustrating thing for me was that when we had the ball and created opportunities, we made the wrong decisions. You don't get many chances against Man Utd - you need to make sure you take them. We need a bit more composure and we need to believe in ourselves a bit more when we have the ball."
Man Utd boss Marc Skinner: "It was a professional performance. Birmingham sat with players behind the ball and I thought we did a great job. We've got quite a young squad so we're trying to grow them in maturity and game development. We have wonderful quality in and out of possession; we just have to link it all together. We can defend more aggressively and attack more aggressively. We're creating opportunities, we just have to be more ruthless."
Manchester United Women face their City counterparts in the first Manchester derby of the WSL season on Saturday October 9 (kick-off 1.30pm).
Birmingham travel to West Ham the following day for a 3pm kick-off.
