Spurs Women left to rue missed chances against Brighton

Spurs Women were denied three times by the woodwork in a 2-0 loss to Brighton on Sunday (7 March) in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League at The Broadfield Stadium.

Inessa Kaagman’s second-half brace secured the three points for the Seagulls in a match eventually decided by close margins.

Rehanne Skinner made one change to the side that narrowly lost to Everton 3-2 at The Hive last Sunday (28 February), with Siri Worm returning from injury to replace Kerys Harrop in the starting XI.

Both sets of players warmed up in t-shirts supporting Brighton defender Rebekah Stott, who was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Stott will be taking part in the “World’s Greatest Shave” next month, in aid of blood cancer charities.

The first half proved to be a conservative affair, with both us and Brighton trading a handful of chances during the opening 45 minutes. Aurora Mikalsen was called into action with a minute on the clock when she dived low to comfortably collect Megan Connolly’s long-range shot.

We came close after 23 minutes, when Alanna Kennedy dashed into the Seagulls’ penalty area and struck a dangerous though ball towards goal, which proved to be inches ahead of the incoming Angela Addison.

Our best chance came just before half-time, when captain Shelina Zadorsky saw her header from Ria Percival’s in-swinging corner cleared off the goal-line by Brighton defender Emma Koivisto. Chances remained few in number after the break and on the hour mark Zadorsky, named last week as Canada’s international player of the month for February, connected with a header from Worm’s stunning free-kick which crashed off of the crossbar.

The hosts broke the deadlock after 64 minutes when Ellie Brazil flicked on Nora Heroum’s cross into the path of Kaagman, who placed her first-time shot accurately into the bottom right corner of the net.

Kaagman doubled Brighton’s lead 10 minutes later when she quickly collected a clearance on the edge of the box, took a touch and fired right-footed straight into the goal.

With 15 minutes to play, we were denied by the frame of the goal for a second time when Worm’s shot clattered against the goalpost, before efforts by Addison and substitute Josie Green were both blocked at close-range. We continued to battle valiantly and in the 89^th minute, Worm provided another excellent delivery from a corner, which forced Brighton keeper Megan Walsh to parry the ball over her crossbar.

Deep into injury time, Kit Graham’s long-range strike had Walsh beaten, but yet again the woodwork rebuffed the effort as it struck the crossbar to confirm three points for our hosts. The result means we remain in eighth place in the WSL.

We’re back in action next Sunday (14 March) when we visit Reading at the Madejski Stadium – kick-off is at 12.30pm and the match is available to watch live on the FA Player.

Reaction on Spurs TV

'We have to be much more on the front foot from start to finish'

Head Coach Rehanne told Spurs TV: “We could have created more chances in the first half. As we started to create more chances, we just couldn’t get the ball over the line. On a different day those chances go in, we have hit the crossbar three times, it’s unfortunately the rub of the green on the day. We have to be much more on the front foot from start to finish.”

Match data 

Goals: Brighton – Kaagman 64, 74.

Yellow cards: Brighton – Lee 22, Connolly 45; Spurs – Worm 77.

Venue: The Broadfield Stadium, Crawley.

Referee: Stacey Pearson.

Weather: Cloudy, five degrees.

Attendance: Behind closed doors.