WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-1 STOKE CITY

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Lord-Mears and Elford earn come-from-behind victory

2024-03-24T17:25:08.041Z

WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-1 STOKE CITY

Lord-Mears and Elford earn come-from-behind victory

2024-03-24T17:25:08.041Z

Lord-Mears and Elford earn come-from-behind victory

Rhema Lord-Mears and Laura Elford both came off the bench to score and earn Burnley Women a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Stoke City.

Lord-Mears marked her return from injury in style, powering an effort into the top right corner from 25 yards before Elford, who has also spent time on the sidelines, glanced a header into the bottom left corner in the seventh minute of added time.

The match was tainted by a serious injury to Stoke’s Kayleigh McDonald, who was forced off on a stretcher after a lengthy period of on-field treatment.

Head Coach Rebecca Sawiuk made two changes to the 11 that started at West Bromwich Albion last time out, with Bella Reidford coming into midfield and Ginny Lackey starting up top.

Both teams created chances in the opening 20 minutes, with Stoke’s top scorer Heidi Logan twice poking narrowly wide when one-on-one.

WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-1 STOKE CITY - Image 1

At the other end Burnley defender Georgia Marshall had a header cleared off the line and Lackey volleyed narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

Logan did eventually break the deadlock with 23 minutes on the clock with the help of a deflection off Marshall.

The Clarets continued to push forward, but a curling Monique Robinson effort was the closest they came to finding an equaliser before the interval.

Sawiuk introduced Lord-Mears and Elford at the break, with the pair not featuring since the Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United matches respectively.

That added extra impetus into Burnley’s play, with Leah Embley firing narrowly over the bar and Elford miskicking a presentable opportunity wide.

WOMEN’S MATCH REPORT: BURNLEY 2-1 STOKE CITY - Image 2

McDonald was injured making a last-ditch tackle on 72 minutes, resulting in 15 minutes of stoppage time.

Lizzy Hamer was then introduced after 89 minutes and Burnley spent the additional minutes on the front foot, eventually finding a winner with 97 on the clock.

Hamer produced an inch-perfect cross for Elford to meet and glance into the bottom left corner, sparking audible celebrations at the County Ground in Leyland.

The result extends Burnley’s unbeaten run to three matches and increases their points tally to 33 from 15 matches.

They remain 3rd in the table with the gap to 2nd-placed Nottingham Forest reduced ahead of next week’s trip to Stourbridge.

Burnley: Levell, Marshall, Embley, Ravening, Lackey (Elford 46’), Prior, Reidford, Wilkes (Hamer 89’), Kelly, Siddall, Robinson (Lord-Mears 46’)

Unused Subs: Farrell, Hartley

Stoke City: Ferguson, Thompson, Holder, Logan, Jordan, Higginbottom, Kivel, McDonald, Stamps, Suttie, Leath

Subs: Hobson, Tudor, Philpott, Kelb, Qaimi

Goals: Logan 23’, Lord-Mears 68’, Elford 90+7’