Seagulls seal success as Spurs struggle with 10

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Tottenham Hotspur

10th October 2021

Second place Tottenham Hotspur travelled down to The Peoples Pension Stadium, Crawley, to face Brighton & Hove Albion for the Women’s Super League.

Line ups:

Brighton: Walsh, Koivisto, Le Tissier, Williams, Gibbons, Kaagman, Brazil, Simpkins, Carter, Lee, Whelan.

Spurs: Spencer, Harrop, Zardosky, Bartrip, Neville, Clemaron, Percival, Ubogagu, Graham, Ayane, Williams.

Brighton got the ball rolling to start the game. Tottenham forward Rachel Williams went into the book after an unnecessary foul just 3 minutes into the half. Spurs seemed to dominate possession and create a couple of good chances from crosses. Kit Graham swung the ball in from the left hand side as Brighton defenders failing to get rid the ball fell to Ubogagu who kept the attack alive as she pumped the ball back into the box. Brighton forward Lee sliced her clearance and the ball finds itself tee’d up for the Tottenham right back. Ashleigh Neville shot the ball low and hard on the half volley from 25 yards through a number of bodies leaving Megan Walsh scrambling to her left hand side to parry the ball.

Brighton broke forward with Ellie Brazil fending off three opposition players as she sprints towards the box. Brazil broke free from the grips of Clemaron only to find the cross is blocked. Spurs were sloppy in possession allowing Le Tissier to play a short pass to Lee who turned and hit it from range. Spencer performs a big double save as Aileen Whelan failed to convert from the edge of the 6 yard box.

Inessa Kaagman almost puts Brighton into the lead after she played a delayed one-two with Carter. A shot from just outside the box looped over the keeper bouncing off the woodwork.

Brighton struck first in the 37th minute with Koivisto’s low driven cross being deflected backwards into the path of Lee who buried the ball into the bottom right corner despite Spencer’s efforts. A big left hand was not strong enough to keep out the Brighton strikers lethal finish.

Tottenham bounced back and obtain possession. Graham’s long range effort narrowly went wide resulting in the Spurs going into half time 1-0 down.

An early corner for Tottenham and Williams heads the ball goalwards this caused Megan Walsh to paw the ball out to Victoria Williams who cleared out wide.

Brighton counter attacked with Le Tissier’s searching ball over the top. Zardosky’s defensive header only made it as far as Whelan who drove forward with the ball. Neville intercepted but loses possession after a misplaced pass which allowing Carter to rattle the crossbar from range.

Rachel Williams jumped into a 50/50 challenge with her arm raised in the middle of the pitch. The referee blew and reached for her pocket, Williams received her second booking of the match and was sent off in the 76th minute.

Brighton took advantage of the sending off and gained a corner. Substitute Maisie Symonds aimed for the back post picking out Victoria Williams. The centre half controlled the ball elegantly and slots the ball narrowly past Spencer doubling the Seagulls lead.

Kit Graham chased down the ball into the penalty box after poor positioning and a series of clumsy clearances from the Brighton defence. Koivisto lunged to block the shot as Graham touched the ball to the left and shot across her body finding the bottom right corner and Spurs have a goal back.

Despite Tottenham’s efforts with 10 players there undefeated run came to an end as the match finished Brighton 2-1 Tottenham. Brighton prevailed jumping up to 5th in the league table whereas, Spurs fell of there perch and drop to 3rd.