Women's

Albion beaten as legends bow out

Seagulls finish the season 11th after losing 1-0 to Leicester City.

By Bruce Talbot • 27 May 2023

By Kyle Hemsley
Elisabeth Terland wins a foot race with Sophie Howard.

Albion said goodbye to five legends as their WSL campaign ended with a defeat to Leicester City at rhe Broadfield Stadium.

Kayleigh Green and Meg Walsh started and in the second half Danielle Carter, Victoria Williams – who wore the captain’s armband for the final 20 minutes – both came on.

All four and Megan Connolly are leaving at the end of the season and they were given a standing ovation by a 3,073 crowd in the Broadfield Stadium sunshine after the final whistle when coach Melissa Phillips and her squad enjoyed a lap of appreciation.

Albion couldn’t bow out with a win as the Foxes made sure of their place in the WSL next season with a deserved victory secured in the second half by a goal from teenage substitute Ava Baker. The victory lifted Leicester above Albion, who finished the season in 11th place, five points above Reading who were relegated after losing 3-0 at home to champions Chelsea.

By Kyle Hemsley
Katie Robinson bursts clear of two Leicester defenders.

Albion began brightly in the sunshine and could have scored twice in the opening ten minutes. Top scorer Elisabeth Terland saw a backheel from Katie Robinson’s cross blocked before Green fired inches over the bar from 20 yards.

Robinson’s pace was a problem for the Foxes early on. Two crosses from the right forced Leicester into hasty clearances but the visitors began to get on top. They had three chances before the break and would have been frustrated not to take one of them.

Hannah Cain broke the offside trap but fired wide; Remy Siemsen couldn’t keep her shot on target after a slip by Guro Bergsvand presented her with a chance; and when Cain put in a great ball from the left Carrie Jones missed the ball completely six yards out and with the goal at her mercy.

By Kyle Hemsley
Kayleigh Green went close with this first-half shot against Leicester.

The visitors also had a strong penalty appeal turned down just before the break when Jones was brought down by Rebekah Stott but referee Abigail Byrne was unmoved.

Leicester were the more threatening team at the start of the second half too. Jones hit the outside of the post from a tight angle after good work by Ash Plumptre on the right then Cain headed over from inside the six-yard box after Courtney Nevin’s cross was flicked on.

Carter came on and had Albion’s first effort of the second half but her shot was blocked and a defender made sure Robinson couldn’t latch onto the loose ball, but the hosts just couldn’t get any momentum going forward.

Leicester deservedly broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when Nevin’s corner from the right wasn’t cleared and substitute Baker nudged it over the line for her first WSL goal. They nearly had a second when Walsh pushed away a close-range header by ex-Albion player Aileen Whelan.

By Paul Hazlewood
Our final starting XI of the WSL season.

There was a nice moment when Julia Zigiotti handed over the captain’s armband when Williams came on and Albion rallied in the closing stages. Carter had another chance to sign off with a goal but both her effort was blocked while Leicester keeper Janina Lietzig fumbled Terland’s effort and another of the substitutes, Vea Sarri, drove into the side netting. But Leicester were deserved winners.

Albion: Walsh, Stott (Visalli 85), Bergsvand, Morse, Kullberg, Zigiotti (Stefanovic 85), Symonds (Carter 64), Green (Pattinson 64), Lee (Sarri 85), Terland.

Subs not used: Startup, V. Williams, Jarvis.

Attendance: 3073