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Thomas' treble sends us top of the WSL

Aston Villa 2-4 Spurs (Women's Super League)

Sat 21 October 2023, 15:15|Tottenham Hotspur

Martha Thomas fired us to the top of the Women's Super League on an historic day at Walsall's Bescot Stadium. The Scotland international striker bagged the club's first hat-trick in the WSL with Ashleigh Neville also on target as we came from behind to make it three wins on the trot.

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Aston Villa 2-4 Spurs - key moments

• Robert Vilahamn made just one change to the team that started last time out at Brighton - Jess Naz in for Drew Spence.
• Rachel Daly gave Villa an early lead from the penalty spot.
• Martha Thomas levelled in spectacular style from 35 yards on 33 minutes.
• Ashleigh Neville headed home for 2-1 in first half added time.
• Thomas completed her hat-trick with two more clinical strikes (64, 72) to make it 4-1.
• Lucy Parker netted a late consolation for Villa as it ended 4-2.

There was a hint of deja-vu at Walsall as, just like last time out against Brighton, we fell behind early before responding in superb style. Last weekend, it was a 3-1 win at the AMEX, this time around, we were arguably even better...

England forward Rachel Daly made no mistake from the spot on five minutes after Eveliina Summanen upended Adriana Leon. Villa, rocked by a couple of late losses so far, came out firing and Becky Spencer did superbly to turn away Ebony Salmon's snapshot. Jordon Nobbs, Salmon and Lucy Parker also went close before the game completely turned on 33 minutes.

Thomas was typically working away up front when her Scotland international team-mate Rachel Corsie left a backpass short for Daphne Van Domselaar. Thomas ran onto the ball and without taking a touch, curled the ball over the goalkeeper from fully 35 yards, a sublime finish.

We bossed it from there. Jess Naz went close twice before a big moment from Neville to put us ahead in first half injury time, the defender rising superbly at the far post to loop a header back over Van Domselaar and home from Naz's cross.

We were knocking at the door in the second half - Olga Ahtinen curled straight at Van Domselaar, Grace Clinton fired over and Drew Spence forced a sharp save from the Dutch keeper on 63 minutes. From the corner, Villa couldn't clear, Luana Buhler won a header and Clinton laid the ball back for Thomas to lash home from 12 yards for 3-1.

It was soon four - and Thomas' hat-trick strike was worthy of the matchball. Once again, Ahtinen found the right pass, this time between defenders to release Thomas. Once again, the striker weighed up her options early and once again, chose right - pinging a curler from 22 yards beyond Van Domselaar into the corner.

Thomas looked on for a fourth only to be dragged down by Corsie, Van Domselaar denied Summanen another free-kick special from 25 yards and then Spence again and Linyan Zhang almost capped it all with a goal on her debut, but didn't get hold of her effort after intercepting Corsie's pass. It wasn't all over, however, as Villa nicked a consolation goal in the final seconds - Spencer made another superb reaction save to deny Corsie from a corner and perhaps deserved a little more luck than the rebound to fall straight to Parker, who nodded home.

It mattered little though as Robert Vilahamn and his team celebrated another victory and excellent display on the road.

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Aston Villa 2-4 Spurs (WSL)

Aston Villa Women: Van Domselaar, Turner, Corsie, Patten, Leon (Mayling 65), Nobbs (Magill 65), Staniforth (McLoughlin 82), Parker, Blindkilde Brown, Daly, Salmon (Pacheco 65). Substitutes: Leat, Lehmann, Mullett.

Spurs Women: Spencer, James (Ale 85), Bartrip, Buhler, Neville, Ahtinen, Summanen, Bizet, Naz (Spence 55), Clinton (Graham 90+1), Thomas (Zhang 90+1). Substitutes: Votikova, Turner, Pearse, Ayane, Percival.