Manchester City Women vs Bristol City Women. Women's Super League.
City Football Academy.
Man City cruise to win with Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway also among the scorers; Bristol City were without five first-team players due to Covid-19 self-isolation guidelines and were denied a postponement by the FA ahead of the game
Tuesday 10 November 2020 11:58, UK
Ellen White netted her 50th Women's Super League goal as Manchester City thrashed Bristol City 8-1.
Bristol, who were without five first-team players due to Covid-19 self-isolation guidelines, sat deep and looked to soak up the City pressure.
They lasted nine minutes before Georgia Stanway shimmied her way to the byline and squeezed in a shot that ricocheted off goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley and into the net.
The lead lasted just 90 seconds though when Robins striker Ebony Salmon seized on a loose pass in the City box, calmly rounding goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck to pull her side unexpectedly back into the game.
City continued to probe and finally breached the visiting defence again in spectacular fashion with a three-goal blitz just before half-time.
Steph Houghton's ball over the top was deftly lobbed over Baggaley by Laura Coombs in the 39th minute. Just three minutes later, Keira Walsh fizzed the ball into the bottom left-hand corner from the edge of the area.
Lucy Bronze finished the hat-trick of goals from a blistering counter-attack a minute later, charging downfield into the box and turning the ball in off the far post with her left foot.
Just three minutes into the second half, Stanway got her second after she volleyed in a Bronze cross at the far post.
White slotted home from a drilled cross from substitute Jill Scott after 58 minutes then turned provider in the 81st minute, expertly playing in Janine Beckie on another counter-attack which was finished clinically by the Canadian.
White bagged her second of the game to reach her landmark 50th WSL goal when she poked in Alex Greenwood's ball over the top with five minutes remaining.
City will feel aggrieved to have briefly let the Robins back into the game in the first half but the result leaves Tanya Oxtoby's side still searching for their first point after conceding 28 goals in their opening five games.