Women win 3-2 in WSL 2
Lauren Allison headed a late winner as Oxford United Women claimed a 3-2 victory at Millwall Lionesses in FA Women's Super League 2 on Sunday. Destiney Toussaint put Oxford into a deserved 1-0 lead early on, but they were pegged back before the break courtesy of a Lillie Maple penalty. The hosts seized the initiative early in the second half through Babjide Rinsola, but the U's fought back, equalising through Kat Nutman before Allison landed the final blow.
Returning to WSL 2 action away at Millwall, United made six changes to the starting lineup, with Demi Lambourne, Chloe Bruce, Sahara Osborne-Ricketts, Isi Meade, Kayleigh Hines and Katie Stanley all being restored to the team. Hannah Cox, Amy Chivers and Ella Franklin-Fraiture dropped to the bench, while Nicole Barrett, Helen King and Rebecca Dandridge missed out altogether.
United started positively, with Destiney Toussaint twice forcing Millwall goalkeeper Sarah Quantrill into smart saves and Kayleigh Hines firing a hopeful shot narrowly over the bar. And United were rewarded for their attacking intent in the 16th minute when Toussaint netted the opening goal following some good work from Lauren Allison. Collecting the ball on the right-hand side, an excellent turn of pace from Allison saw her escape her marker before squaring for Toussaint to tap in from close range. Toussaint should have made it 2-0 after 25 minutes, smashing an effort off the bar with a thunderous strike from just inside the area.
After that let-off, the hosts began to get back into the game and press for an equaliser. Ashlee Hincks' hopeful effort from the right-hand edge of the area should have levelled the scores, striking the bar before being cleared to safety. But that proved just a temporary reprieve for United as the home side were awarded a penalty almost immediately after. Lillie Maple stepped up to take the spot-kick, hammering it straight down the middle to restore parity.
United almost made the perfect response and within a minute of kick-off Kat Nutman tried her luck from ten yards, beating the keeper with her low shot, but not the post.
They were unable to restore their lead after the break, however, and paid the price after the break. There were only two minutes played after the restart when the hosts took the lead, Babajide Rinsola cutting in from the right-hand side before curling a shot past the despairing dive of Demi Lambourne.
With an hour played, United struck a deserved equaliser, as Kat Nutman latched onto a delightful ball through the middle of the field before calmly slotting left-footed past the goalkeeper when through one-on-one.
United began to pile on the pressure and were duly rewarded for their efforts 11 minutes from time when Allison nodded home at the back post following a lofted ball in from Kayleigh Hines. United came under heavy pressure themselves in the dying moments, but were able to hang on and claim a hard-fought three-point haul.
United: Lambourne, Bruce, Lane (Lee 64), Osborne-Ricketts, Meade (Nichol 70), Nutman, Hines, Allison, Stanley, Pickett (Franklin-Fraiture 70), Toussaint. Subs not used: Cox, Chivers, Pinker, Scanlon.