Albion collected a needed three points as they won a dramatic 7-3 goal thriller at Ashton Gate stadium. The Seagulls had a comfortable 4-1 lead over their relegation rivals Bristol City. Nonetheless, City didn’t make it simple, displaying eagerness for a comeback, with the score standing at 4-3 in the 74th minute.
The women’s Brighton football team did not let the pressure get to them, as they went on to grab three more goals against the hosts. This important victory moves them 8 points clear of the relegation zone of the women’s Super League. The goals were scored from a brace by Elisabeth Terland, Pauline Bremer, Tatiana Pinto, Madison Haley, Vicky Losada and Katie Robinson for Brighton.
The Bristol City scorers consisted of Megan Connolly, Brooke Aspin and Amalie Thestrup. Interim manager Mikey Harris only made one change to Brighton from their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool with Bremer coming into the team whereas Lauren Smith switched up most of the Bristol City team since their 5-2 loss to Leicester City.
The start of the game was all Albion, with the visitors keeping up the pressure and attacking in front of the goal. Brighton kept the intensity as Torland took a lovely turn with a beautiful, waited to pass through to Veatriki Sarri who unfortunately didn’t get the best out of it and scuffed it wide. The Seagulls were showing a dominant performance but couldn’t show a goal for it . That was until the 20th minute when Brighton whipped in a corner and found the leaping Guro Bergsvand with a strong header to the back post where Terland was left free to tap the ball in the open net.
Bristol City wanted to find an instant response as Carrie Jones cut inside the defender and tried to bend a shot with her right foot but was a comfortable save by the Brighton goalkeeper Albion then was quick to double their lead with Sarri on the edge of the box carrying a low driven cross and found the explosive Pauline Bremer who found the post but was the first to pounce and score the rebound. City kept applying the pressure near the end of the half and capsulised on a lacklustre pass from the Brighton defender, but Jones couldn’t go round the keeper.
Bristol kept on keeping the intensity providing pressure on Brighton. Jones was quick to fire but the Brighton defender got an important block and fired it away.As the second half began City kept the momentum going as Amy Rogers’s commitment won a dangerous free kick at the edge of the box. Former Seagulls player Megan Connoly was standing over the free kick and brought it over the wall and in the back of the net. I
Then in the 54th minute, Brighton played a ball into the box after a corner, a messy and scrappy moment in the box, and the ball fell nicely to Terland who slots perfectly in the bottom corner to get her brace of the game. Terland makes a great run-in free space but couldn’t convert a shot to get her Hatrick.
From the corner, Pinto heads home after poor marking from the city with an emotional celebration. Bristol City were looking for a comeback in the relegation scrap as the fourth corner goal was scored this game, as Brooke Aspin was found at the back post with a lovely leaping headed goal in the 71st minute.
Carrying on with the momentum, City scored a quick back-to-back goal in the 74th minute as Morgan cut the ball across the goal and found Thestrup to make it her fourth consecutive goal. Robinson gathered the ball on the wing for the seagulls and cut in front of the goal as the American Madison Haley swept it home from close range. Following that Robinson the attacking winger for Albion used her strength to win a penalty with the midfielder Vicky Losada confidently buries the ball in the back of the net.
The courageous performance continued for Brighton as they scored their seventh goal of the game. Bremer delivered a sublime ball through the middle of the park to Robinson who skillfully rounds the keeper and scores against her former club to make it 7-3 in the 96th minute. This fantastic result has created breathing room between Brighton and Bristol City, as they are now 8 points clear of the relegation zone. More importantly, they have moved ahead of both West Ham and Everton on goal difference to 9th place.
Written by Sam Skedge
