WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: STOKE CITY 1-0 BURNLEY

Clarets beaten in Staffordshire

Burnley Women were undone by a moment of misfortune as a Thea Paul own goal saw them lose 1-0 to Stoke City on Sunday afternoon.

The key moment that ended the team’s impressive five-game winning run came shortly after the halftime interval at Emerys Stadium in Stoke.

There were six changes from the midweek victory over Halifax, with club captain Paul, Emma Siddall and Naomi Hartley coming into the defence.

Brenna McPartlan returned from a lengthy injury lay-off in midfield, with Millie Ravening and Laura Elford providing extra attacking impetus.

Burnley came out of the traps quickly, with a Siddall free-kick from range and an Elford strike working Stoke ‘keeper Georgia Ferguson.

Aimee Kelly was next to try her luck, cutting in from the left and curling narrowly wide.

Elford was proving to be a constant threat and created three more first-half chances, but the sides remained level at the break before the decisive goal came in the 54th minute.

Lily Murphy powered forward down the hosts’ left and produced a cross into the Burnley area that Paul diverted past Kirstie Levell and into her own net.

Head Coach Rebecca Sawiuk freshened things up with the introduction of Monique Robinson, Leah Embley and Tilly Wilkes ahead of the final 20 minutes and the Clarets pushed for an equaliser.

Robinson, fresh off scoring her first goal for the Club last weekend, fired narrowly wide with her left foot with six minutes of regular time to play.

Embley then shot over from the edge of the box in stoppage time and the final whistle blew with Burnley losing for the first time since Sunday 11 February.

The Clarets stay 2nd with two Northern Premier Division of the Women’s National League games to play, starting with the visit of Liverpool Feds to Turf Moor on Sunday 21 April.

Burnley: Levell, Paul (Wilkes 66), McPartlan (Robinson 60), Hamer (Embley 60), Elford, Ravening, Prior, Reidford, Hartley, Kelly, Siddall

Unused Subs: Farrell, Marshall

Stoke City: Ferguson, Thompson, Kivel, Jenner, Suttie, Holder, Murphy, Higginbottom, Logan, Jordan, Stamps

Subs: Hobson, Philpott, Tudor, Al-Qaimi, Mcevoy

Goals: Paul OG 54’