Sunderland did come close to opening the scoring, when a great control by Dani Scarr gave her time and space to pick her place, but
her effort went inches past the post. Sunderland kept up the pressure and had a number of corners in the first half, with Gemma
Wilson nearly benefitting from a Jess Havelock delivery, but found her header go straight to the grateful Wednesday goalkeeper.
HT
… Sheffield Wednesday Res 0-0 Sunderland Res
Sunderland came out in the second half, knowing it would be a battle with the wind
now facing them and snow starting to fall. However, it was Sunderland who started the brighter and tried to breakdown a very
stubborn Wednesday defence. However it was Sheffield who went ahead, when Sunderland conceded a corner and an in-swinging delivery,
caused the defence problems, with the ball flicking off a Wednesday head to make the score line 1-0 to the home team.
The advantage
then gave the home side a lift and they tried to play higher up the pitch, however good defending and good play from Becky Salicki
in Sunderland’s goal stopped them from scoring a second. On the hour mark, Gemma Wilson who was playing her first game in a
month due to injury, made way for Sophie Halliday and Sunderland shuffled their pack with Riddell going centre half and Havelock going
to left back. The introduction of Halliday gave Sunderland a lift and her direct play caused Wednesday’s defence problems.
Sunderland then brought on Jess Clark for Jenny Bradley and again the introduction of Clark caused problems now down both flanks for
Sheffield Wednesday. Sunderland kept up the pressure and made a final substitution, with the introduction of Simpson for Scarr,
who had worked hard all game, never letting the back four of Wednesday settle on the ball. Intense pressure from the visitors
saw Unwin drive into the box where the ball fell kindly to her and she hit an unstoppable shot to equalise in the 87th minute.
After the equaliser, Sunderland pushed on for a winner and great hold up play by Simpson, saw her turn, halted by a defender who tripped
her around the ankles and the referee pointed to the spot. Jess Havleock stepped up to take the penalty and saw her original
effort saved only for the rebound to fall kindly and she followed up to poke the ball home, making it 2-1 to the visitors. That proved
to be the last action of the match with the referee calling full time seconds after Wednesday kicked off.
FT … Sheffield Wednesday
Res 1-2 Sunderland Res
