Match report: Whelan wins it for Albion

• Everton 0, Albion 1

Aileen Whelan scored her first goal of the season as Albion moved up to third in the Barclays FA Women's Super League after a deserved win over Everton.

The midfielder headed home just past the hour in a game of few chances. Whelan, who struck twice in the corresponding fixture last season, had struck the bar with a first-half header and Albion defended superbly to restrict Everton to very few clear-cut chances as they claimed their third win in four games.

Albion made two changes to the side knocked out of the Vitality FA Cup by Arsenal in last week’s semi-final with Emma Koivisto and Geummin Lee recalled.

Conditions were extremely testing at Walton Hall Park with driving rain and a blustery wind and the first half was a scrappy affair.

Set-pieces would be crucial in such conditions and Albion nearly profited from a free-kick as they had the best chance of the opening 45. Maya Le Tissier’s deep free-kick from the right found its way to Whelan in the six-yard box and her stooping header bounced down and up off the bar.

Everton also had their best moments from set pieces. A corner found its way to Rikke Sevecke in a crowded box and she stabbed her shot wide of the post. Kenza Dali then fired wide as Albion struggled to clear another corner.

Le Tissier almost stretched enough to convert another free kick from Megan Connolly but neither keeper had made a save of note in the first half.

Le Tissier went even closer seven minutes after the break when she connected with Inessa Kaagman’s left-wing cross and forced keeper Sandy MacIver to make a superb reflex save as he pushed the ball over the bar.

Albion had created the clearer opportunities and they were rewarded in the 61st minute. Carter and Lee combined down the right, Lee clipped an inviting ball into the six-yard box and Whelan got ahead of her marker to head home her first goal of the season.

Claire Emsley went close to responding for the home side, driving the ball just over from 25 yards but with a quarter of the game remaining Albion seemed to be in control.

Another set-piece nearly brought a goal with ten minutes left when Kaagman put a great ball into the six-yard box which Victoria Williams stabbed goalwards and it needed a deflection off a defender to take it wide.

Valerie Gauvin fired wide deep into stoppage time but it was a rare moment of alarm for Albion, who produced a disciplined and hardworking performance.

Albion: Walsh, Le Tissier, Kerkdijk (Brazil 75), Williams, Gibbons, Koivisto, Connolly, Whelan, Kaagman (Symonds 83), Lee, Carter.

Subs: Angel, Bowman, Babajide, Bance, Green, Simpkins, Robinson.