A 1-0 victory at home to Birmingham City, secured Sunderland Reserves the FA Tesco Women’s Premier League (Reserve) Mid/North
Division 2 title
Sunderland went into the game looking to build on impressive results in the last few weeks and it was the home side who started the brighter of the two sides. Good play in the middle of the park, saw the ball being played out to Jess Havelock on the left wing and Jess's direct play forced the Birmingham back four into some last ditch defending. Sunderland were able to force the visitors defence into giving away corners and the home team came close to capitalise on their good pressure.
Sunderland
nearly broke the deadlock midway through the first half, when a ball played out from the back by Becky Salicki, sent Stacey Simpson
through on goal, but she found her lob just go past the post. Again it was Sunderland who kept up the threat on the Birmingham
goal, when good play from Jess Clark saw her cut inside and forced the goalkeeper into a smart save.
HT ... Sunderland Reserves 0 - 0 Birmingham City Reserves
The change of ends didn't do anything to help the visiting team as similar to the first half it was Sunderland who played the more
attacking football. Again good play by Jess Clark and Jess Havelock on the wings were causing the Birmingham defenders problems
and they were conceding a number of corners and were thankful of their goalkeeper who saved them on numerous occasions. A free
kick just inside the visiting teams half saw Jade Clark deliver a pinpoint delivery to the back post and header by Lauren Ramshaw
was somehow saved by the Birmingham keeper. All throughout the game Sunderland's forwards were a thorn in the away teams defence
and they were rewarded for all their hard work when a positive run by Simpson only came to an end when she was fouled inside the box
and the referee had no option but to point to the spot. Jess Havelock stepped up and smashed the ball home to put the home side
into the lead.
Birmingham then started to throw bodies forward searching for an equaliser and they almost got one but for good
covering by Salicki who managed to recover in time to clear the ball to safety
FT ... Sunderland Res 1 - 0 Birmingham Reserves
Manager Mark Pae said after the game ... "We knew today's game would be difficult as this proved to be the case as Birmingham have a very solid unit who work hard for each other. Over the course of the 90mins we got the win that our attacking play deserved and in the second half we went up another gear which was pleasing to see. We have two tough fixtures away in the next few weeks with Leicester next Sunday and Nottingham Forest the week after so to head into these games on the back of today's result is pleasing".