WSL: Bethany England brace secures Tottenham win over Everton | OneFootball

A second half penalty from Bethany England was enough for Tottenham Hotspur to snatch a narrow 2-1 win over Everton in their latest Women’s Super League outing.

It took the Spurs forward 25 minutes to open the scoring but Sara Holmgaard pulled the Toffees level shortly before half-time. England was on hand to dispatch the winning penalty in the 48th minute after a foul on Martha Thomas.

Starting XIs

Tottenham Hotspur

Heeps; Neville, Hunt, Bartip Nildén, Raso, Spence, Summanen, Naz, Thomas, England.

Everton

Brosnan; Payne, Vanhaevermaet, Finnigan, Hope, Holmgaard, Olesen, Hayashi, Wheeler, Lawley, Snoeijs.

Tottenham avoid Everton scare

It was a lively opening at a wet and windy Brisbane Road. A giveaway from Clare Hunt presented Mel Lawley with a chance for Everton, but her long-range effort was palmed away by Eleanor Heeps. The Spurs goalkeeper was making her Barclays WSL debut in place of the unwell Becky Spencer.

From there on in, Spurs took a hold of the game. England headed wide twice in quick succession. Martha Thomas did well to beat the offside trap to race onto a through ball, but no one was there to meet her cross in. That didn’t deter Robert Vilahaman’s team as they continued to press forward, though. England spurned another chance, this time heading an Ash Neville cross just wide.

Tottenham’s reward eventually came as Clare Hunt rose to meet a cross from Jess Naz. Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan did well to push that attempt away from point blank range, but England made no mistake, smashing home the rebound.

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As has been the case this season, Tottenham were made to pay for not taking their chances. Just before half-time, Everton equalised from a clinical counter-attack. Katja Snoeijs set Sara Holmgaard away with a sensational through ball. Holmgaard still had a lot to do with Bartrip frantically trying to cover, but the Danish international finished superbly from the edge of the box.

The second half started with a bang as Tottenham were awarded a penalty for a foul on Thomas in the box. After a delay as Everton’s players argued the call, England stepped and hammered home to restore the lead.

That seemed to galvanise Tottenham and they nearly added a third with a wonderful team move that started from their own goal-kick. Progressing up the pitch, Raso took the shot on but she could only blaze over the bar.

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Everton still posed a threat to Tottenham, particularly on the counter. A flurry of corners led to a free-kick on the edge of the box, but Justine Vanhaevermaet fired wide. Maite Oroz made her return from injury, her corner was headed wide by England as Tottenham tried to put the game to bed with 67 minutes played.

Brian Sørensen’s side continued to search for an equaliser, but it was in vain. Veatriki Sarri’s shot that went wide was as much as they could create.

Tottenham held on to secure all three points ahead of their visit to Brighton next Saturday. Everton must dust themselves down as they welcome Manchester City to Walton Hall Park.

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