Match Reports

Women Report: Albion 0 West Ham United 1

By James Hilsum • 02 December 2018

  • Albion are beaten 1-0 by West Ham United
  • Jane Ross scores the winner in the second half
  • The Seagulls move down to 10th in the table
  • Hope Powell’s side face Crystal Palace in the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup next Wednesday

Brighton & Hove Albion were beaten 1-0 by West Ham United in a cagey FA Women’s Super League encounter at the Broadfield Stadium.

Jane Ross’s second-half strike was enough to settle a closely-fought contest and consign Albion to an eighth defeat of the season.
 
Hope Powell made two changes to the side that lost 4-1 away at Arsenal last week, with Jodie Brett and Ellie Brazil replacing Jenna Legg and Kate Natkiel.
 
The visitors created the first chance of the game when Gilly Flaherty headed straight at Marie Hourihan from Claire Rafferty’s corner.
 
Ross then took aim from the edge of the box for the Hammers, but her effort also went off target in a tight opening 20 minutes of the game.
 
Albion had their first opportunity when Aileen Whelan made a driving run forward and teed up Kayleigh Green, but Anna Moorhouse comfortably kept out the shot.
 
Powell’s side applied some pressure in the closing stages of the half, as Peplow and Kirsty Barton saw their deflected efforts go over at the end of an evenly-contested first 45 minutes.
 
The second half began with Albion on the front foot and they were awarded a set-piece in a promising position, but Sophie Perry’s free-kick didn’t find a Seagulls shirt in the box.
 
Danielle Buet was introduced at the break in place of Brett, and looked to make an immediate impact after taking aim with a shot from distance that went wide of the left post.
 
Barton was called into action down the other end as she made a fine block to keep out Esme De Graff’s strike from deep inside the area.
 
But the Hammers did strike first courtesy of Ross, whose glancing header from Julia Simic’s cross gave the visitors the lead in the 64th minute.
 
It was almost 2-0 moments later after Alisha Lehmann picked out De Graff in space, and the latter’s attempt cannoned off the post.
 
Ross had another chance to double hers and West Ham’s tally, but was denied by Hourihan in the Albion goal on this occasion.
 
Ross went through on goal yet again in almost a carbon copy of her previous opportunity and was once again denied by Hourihan.
 
Albion pushed forward in a bid to get a deserved share of the spoils, as Perry ghosted into the box to meet an in-swinging cross, but she headed wide and West Ham claimed all three points.
 
The Seagulls now turn their attentions to the FA WSL Continental Tyres League Cup match against Crystal Palace next Wednesday night.
 
ALBION: Hourihan; Barton, Rafferty, Williams, Perry; Green, Brett (Buet 46), Peplow; A. Whelan, Umotong, Brazil.
 
SUBS NOT USED: Gillett (GK), Harris (GK), Gibbons, Legg, Natkiel, Simpkins.