Missed opportunities cost Women’s Under-21s against Brighton | OneFootball

Our Women’s Under-21s were left to rue missed chances as Brighton & Hove Albion came from behind to win 3-2 in the Professional Game Academy League on Wednesday afternoon.

Having fallen behind to Tahirah Heron’s opener, we managed to turn the game on its head before half-time thanks to an inspired performance from Mia Endacott. Providing the assist for Persis Oteng’s equaliser with a superb pass, the forward then produced a well-taken strike from the edge of the box to find the bottom corner and give us the lead in the game.

Oteng had a number of opportunities to extend our advantage before the half-time whistle but was unable to get past Seagulls goalkeeper Lily Murphy, and that proved costly after the break. Heron grabbed her second of the game before Olivia Johnson converted from the penalty spot to put the visitors back in control of the contest.

We pushed for a leveller in the closing stages of the game, Murray producing an outstanding save on the stretch to deny Ruby Gaitley, but the visitors held on to secure the three points at Hotspur Way. In term of team news, there was positive news for Nick Hardy as Faye Fields-Davis stepped off the bench in the final minutes of the game for her first appearance of the season after coming back from a long spell on the sideline with an injury.

Looking to build on a positive performance in last week's win at Sheffield United, Oteng had two glorious opportunities inside the opening six minutes to break the deadlock. The forward was denied at the near post by Murphy after Kendra Brown intercepted the goalkeeper’s pass and, shortly after, Oteng raced behind the Brighton’s backline after brilliant determination to beat her defender on the halfway line, but her left-footed shot was straight at Murphy.

But for all that was good about our positive start to the game, the visitors were able to edge ahead after reacting quickest inside the box, Erin Radbourne forced to claw the ball off the line, but it fell kindly to Heron to fire home on the rebound. However, that didn’t dampen our spirit, and we quickly found the leveller. Endacott played a beautifully weighted pass behind the visitors’ backline to set Oteng through and she curled a left-footed effort over Murphy and into the back of the net.

Four minutes later, just before the half hour mark, and we swung the game in our favour. A corner from the left-hand side was cleared by Brighton to Endacott on the edge of the box and the forward sent a low-driven effort into the far corner to put us ahead in the encounter. The visitors threaten in the closing stages of the half, Radbourne producing a good save to deny Heron while Libby Hester struck the woodwork, but at the other end, Oteng forced her way behind their backline once again, this time being denied by the feet of Murphy on the stroke of half time.

Brighton were quick out of the blocks after the break and grabbed the equaliser in the 55th-minute, Johnson’s low ball across the face of the goal was tapped home by Heron at the back post. Johnson continued to be a threat down the left-hand side, firing over the bar from inside the box after good footwork to create space, and she would play a big part in their third goal of the afternoon. Cairo Antoine-Eva was penalised for a foul inside the box and Johnson stepped up to take the spot-kick, sending her effort the in the opposite direction of Radbourne and into the bottom corner, reinstating the visitors lead with 20 minutes left on the clock.

We were denied an instant response as Oteng advanced to the byline before cutting it back to Gaitley just inside the box, but the midfielder's first-time effort was tipped over the bar by Murphy to keep their lead intact. We pushed for a leveller in the closing stages, but ultimately couldn’t break down their defence for a third time in the contest as Brighton left the capital with the three points.