Bedford: Fine Margins Went Against Us

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Bedford: Fine Margins Went Against Us

Lydia Bedford underlined a slow start as LCFC Women slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on Sunday.

2022-01-24T12:00:00.000Z

by Sam Jones

Published

24 Jan, 2022

Bedford: Fine Margins Went Against Us

Lydia Bedford underlined a slow start as LCFC Women slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on Sunday.

Sam Jones

2022-01-24T12:00:00.000Z

Bedford: Fine Margins Went Against Us

Lydia Bedford underlined a slow start as LCFC Women slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on Sunday.

Sam Jones

2022-01-24T12:00:00.000Z

Bedford: Fine Margins Went Against Us

Lydia Bedford underlined a slow start as LCFC Women slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on Sunday.

Sam Jones

2022-01-24T12:00:00.000Z

Bedford: Fine Margins Went Against Us

Lydia Bedford underlined a slow start as LCFC Women slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on Sunday.

Sam Jones

2022-01-24T12:00:00.000Z

- LCFC Women were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa at Pirelli Stadium on Sunday- It looked to be heading for a draw until Alisha Lehmann’s injury-time winner- Lydia Bedford expressed her frustrations at conceding late in the game- Jemma Purfield’s goal could have earned a hard-fought draw for the Foxes

The visitors to Pirelli Stadium raced into an early lead when Maz Pacheco’s corner cannoned into the net off Molly Pike within four minutes of kick-off, though it was a much-improved second 45 from City, who equalised via a set play of their own.

That left the final 15 minutes open for either side to take all three points and it was Villa who seized the initiative, striking in the final minute of injury time, courtesy of Alisha Lehmann’s finish.

Bedford felt the team switched off at two vital moments, which put pay to taking what she believed would have been a deserved point from the game, after working hard to draw back level.

City's manager told LCFC TV: “That’s the game, isn’t it? Sometimes you play well and you lose, sometimes you don’t play well and you win. I think today, from the second half, we deserved to walk away with a point.

“We got ourselves back in the game, which is critical, and something we need to take forward, but it’s just those fine margins when you’re seeing out the last two minutes.

“I don’t think we didn’t expect it. We knew exactly what problems they face and nothing that they put in today on the pitch we weren’t ready for, but possibly going behind to the set piece rattled the girls and didn’t allow them to build the momentum they had against Brighton last week.

“Those first few minutes in any game are crucial and going behind didn’t help.”

Jemma Purfield’s goal, direct from a corner, was the first equaliser the Foxes had scored in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and although did not lead to picking up more home points in 2022, is a sign of improvement in the mentality of the group.

The Foxes remain 11th in the standings, with Birmingham City, who are two points behind in the race to beat the drop, next up in the WSL in two weeks’ time.

“The girls can take great confidence from that,” the ex-England youth coach added. “For me, at half-time we spoke about the Reading game and knowing that we came out and dominated the second half. We challenged them to do the same.

“What I’ll say about this team is that when you challenge them and when you push them, they go and perform, and they did that in the second half. From the off when the girls came out for the second half, you could see the energy and intent which they were going to press.

“We worked out the overload in midfield and problem solved that, which was great and they did that really well, which ultimately led to getting the equaliser, which I’m really pleased with. They are hurting now because they know that the final two minutes was avoidable.”

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