Oxford United remain at the wrong end of the table after a third successive league defeat, at the hands of Aston Villa. For Villa it was a return to winning ways, after losing their last two competitive fixtures to Doncaster Rovers Belles and Notts County in the FA Cup.
Jade Richards opened the scoring for the visitors after 19 minutes. Oxford’s keeper Demi Lambourne must have taken her eye of the ball as she missed it, allowing Richards to round her and put the ball in the empty net.
10 minutes later, Villa came close to adding a second. Kerri Walsh powered a shot against the underside of the crossbar, but the rebound came back out and Abi Cottam was unable to convert.
Lambourne then did her best to atone for her earlier error by saving well from Cottam moments later.
At the other end, midfield maestro Kayleigh Hines began linking up well with her strikers and 10 minutes before the break her pin point pass found Lauren Allison. The forward stretched to get there ahead of Villa keeper Caitlin Leach but the effort sailed harmlessly wide.
United had named an unchanged side from the recent defeat to Yeovil and the same players again struggled to find the finishing touch. Rosie Lane and Holly Pickett both had half chances early in the second half but couldn’t convert.
Villa punished Oxford’s lack of killer instinct, doubling their lead midway through the second half, when Katie Wilkinson’s through ball was latched upon by substitute Olivia Fergusson who finished well.
The home side had a chance to grab a consolation late-on, when Laura Low’s shot was blocked with an arm, but Allison put the resulting penalty disappointingly wide.
Villa have now won both their away ties in the league and goal scorer Richards hopes her side can now transfer that form into home games.
Speaking to the official FAWSL site, Richards said, “If you can go away and play on other grounds that you’re not used to and pick up results away from them, then that’s great.
“We’re unbeaten away from home at the minute – we just need to sort out our home form and make it a fortress that people are scared to come and play”.
Next up for Villa is another away match against early leaders Doncaster Rovers Belles. Meanwhile Oxford make the short trip to second-placed Reading.
