Women’s Super League

PERNILLE HARDER’S second-half rocket blasted a dent in Arsenal’s Champions League hopes with Chelsea consigning the Gunners to a 3-0 loss.
A late Fran Kirby goal and a brace from Harder and saw the champs open up a TWELVE point lead over their London rivals, and go three clear at the top of the WSL.

Chelsea have opened up a three-point gap at the top of the Women’s Super LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Harder and Fran Kirby were both on target against Arsenal for the WSL championsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Blues boss Emma Hayes said: “I thought we started the game well with our press, but then we got a little bit overrun.
“I think once we got the goal in the second-half there was only going to be one outcome, to be honest. 
“We can talk about Pernille Harder and her goals because she certainly showed the dressing room her quality as did Fran. 
“But for me the real performance was in the team’s defending.”

Hayes’ aces flew out of the blocks eager to make amends after Brighton ended their record unbeaten run at the weekend. 
And they were all over their visitors in the first quarter with Ji So-yun nutmegging Lia Walti to tee up Kirby who forced a save from Lydia Williams.
Arsenal grew into the encounter at the halfway stage of the first-half.  
And they had the best chance of that period with Vivianne Miedema prompting a superb reflex kick save from Ann-Katrin Berger at the half-hour mark. 

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Arsenal will be hoping to pick up their first win of the month when they play Aston Villa nextCredit: Getty Images – Getty

At the other end Kirby forced a fine stop from Williams, with the Aussie ace keeping out the Chelsea forward’s angled effort several minutes later. 
But the 0-0 scoreline didn’t last too long in the second-half with Harder once again demonstrating why Chelsea whipped out the cheque book to sign her.
The Denmark ace opened the scoring in the 47th minute beating Williams with a swerved drive. 

In the end, it’s the level of their quality that unlocked us
Joe Montemurro

And the midfield maestro was on target again ten minutes later stunning the Gunners with a thumping strike blazed over Williams into the net. 
Joe Montemurro’s aces had a chance to pull one back with Katie McCabe forcing a fine save from Berger with 11 minutes of normal time remaining. 
But Kirby’s stoppage-time effort wrapped things up for the hosts who visit Bristol next.  
And Arsenal will head to Aston Villa with a record of one win from their last five games. 
Montemurro said: “They (Chelsea) are a very, very good team with a good squad and powerful players. 
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Joe Montemurro’s Gunners are seven points adrift of a Champions League spot with City above them in thirdCredit: PA:Press Association
“In the end it’s the level of their quality that unlocked us.
“Mathematically there is still a lot to play for but realistically sometimes you have got to set other targets. 
“We have a Champions League spot to play for, we’ll keep going.”

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BATTLING Covid on the health service frontline while competing in the Women’s Super League has become part and parcel of Harriet Scott’s life over the past year.
And the tough-tackling Birmingham City heroine who is due to play Aston Villa is proud of her contrasting careers. 

Harriet Scott juggles a career as a top-flight footballer with working in the NHS and studying a degree in medicineCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Scott and her team-mates are due to play Aston VillaCredit: Rex Features

When she is not training or leading the backline of Carla Ward’s tenacious Blues, Scott can often be found assisting doctors and nurses at Royal Stoke University Hospital. 
And it’s a vocation the left-back relishes despite the pressures of tackling the deadly virus in one of the nation’s largest hospitals.
Scott, 27, said: “I’ve worked within the NHS since I qualified as a physiotherapist (in 2014) and the strain that some people are under at this point in time is immense. 
“I have seen unwell patients dealing with issues around their mental health especially now with Covid. People have a lot more stress because it’s a very difficult time. 

“It’s admirable how staff are working and taking every single day as it comes.
“At the moment, it feels like there’s no way out. But I know that there is with the vaccine and the help that will hopefully bring in the next few months. 
“It’s tough seeing what staff and patients are having to go through
“But I’m really glad I’m doing the job I’m doing at the moment.” 

JUGGLING FOOTBALL AND A MEDICINE DEGREE
It is a hectic routine for Scott, 27, who balances her football and healthcare career with the third year of a degree in medicine at Keele University.
The former Reading ace, who has made 36 appearances for Birmingham since joining from the Royals in 2018, has been working at the Royal Stoke since August 2020. 
The defender, who jointly captains Birmingham with Christie Murray, has been helping to ease the burden on staff working in the hospital’s emergency, surgery and mental healthcare wings.
Part of the Republic of Ireland ace’s duties includes checking heart rhythms, taking blood tests and helping medics insert intravenous drips into patients in need of them.
And Scott’s vital role outside of sport is wholeheartedly supported by Birmingham gaffer Ward and her backroom staff.  
Scott added: “I really could not praise the club anymore for kind of being able to do what I’m doing right now. Blues have been instrumental.
“After a game on Sunday, I normally have a tutor session on Monday at nine in the morning where I join other medical students in a hospital ward or on an online class.

Scott, 27, is a certified physiotherapist who worked for Wales national women’s team under former head coach Jayne LudlowCredit: Instagram @harrietascott
“We all bring cases that we have studied and talk through them and figure out diagnosis and treatments and then I may have a seminar on medicines or body parts. 
“In the afternoon, I will spend one till five in the hospital and that repeats throughout the week. 
“And then I have to fit my football training sessions around this. 
“So I’ll do strength and conditioning sessions on my own at Birmingham that Holly – our coach there – or Carla (Ward) will help me out with. 
“And then there are certain sessions throughout the week that I can make with the rest of the team.” 

Birmingham City are looking to pick up their fourth win in the WSL
DERBY DUEL
Scott is set to captain Birmingham this evening in a Second City derby clash with Villa.
The duel between the rivals, which coincides with the talented defender’s birthday, will take place at Damson Park. 
The last match between the teams ended in a 1-0 win for the then injury-ravaged Blues who had just TWO subs on their bench. 
Despite the victory, head coach Ward, 37, was not entirely pleased with her ninth-placed side’s display.
Ward said: “We were very, very poor. It was our worst performance of the season. But I am delighted we came away with a win after playing so poorly. 
“I would like to think we have come on since then, however I do think Villa have come on since then. 
“It will be a tough game. The pressure is on them, not us.”
Scott, who has 21 Republic of Ireland international caps, is looking forward to pitting her wits against Mana Iwabuchi. 
The Japan superstar has been in fine form for Villa, who are tenth, since arriving in January.
The mercurial Villa forward netted the decisive goal that secured the club’s first home win this term.
Scott added: “They’ve (Aston Villa) have strengthened as a team. Iwabuchi is a phenomenal player.
“We’ve kind of seen already the impact that she’s had in the league. We’re not underestimating her at all. 
“But we’re not going to give her too much respect. 
“At the end of the day, it’s a derby, and that’s a completely different game altogether.
There’s a bit more bite to everybody. And we’ll see that going into the game, I’m sure.” 

Scott says Birmingham will not underestimate Mana IwabuchiCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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HOPE POWELL has stressed that Brighton can’t expect an easy ride against West Ham despite their amazing victory over Chelsea.
Powell, 54, said that although her side are the first to beat the champions in two years, every game is different and the Hammers game will be “tough.”

Hope Powell has warned her Brighton stars that victory against West Ham isn’t a foregone conclusionCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Brighton shocked the footballing world by ending the West Londoner’s 33 unbeaten game run in the WSL after previously losing to Bristol.
Powell was asked how she managed to galvanise her players into their stellar performance against the Blues.
She said that she met with the team after the Bristol City loss and said they had some “frank and honest conversations,” and said it was imperative they “went back to basics.”
Powell said: “This is how it’s going to be from now on. Yeah just back to basics. We need a 100 per cent effort.

“I wanted a good performance. I wanted some desire and effort and application, and I got all of those things.
“And with a little bit of luck, we win the game and get three massive points, it was a big win for us.”
But she warned her stars ahead of the midweek clash that a win over the Hammers isn’t a “foregone conclusion” despite their 2-1 Chelsea win.
The former England boss said: “We take confidence from last week,

“But we cannot think for one minute the fact that we beat Chelsea, [beating West Ham] is a foregone conclusion, that’s just not the way football is.
“And you know, we can see that by all recent results whether it’s women’s football or men’s football, it’s no foregone conclusion.”
The Hammers enter the game languishing just above the bottom spot, while Brighton hover slightly above them in eighth.
Acutely aware of their struggle, Powell compared the two team’s upcoming battle to a “dogfight” and said it will be a “hard contest” for the Seagulls.

Brighton became the first team to beat champions Chelsea in TWO YEARS on the weekendCredit: PA:Press Association

She continued: “It will be a hard contest, it will be a dog fight. Both teams want the points, both teams not wanting to lose.
“You know, at the moment, we’re in a better position than they are. So you know, for them they’ve got to get points on the board as we have to as well.”
To make the pre-game preparations even more difficult, both sides are having to train in the heavy snow, which Powell says has been “terrible.”
When asked about the weather, she said: “It’s terrible, freezing cold, we weren’t able to train on grass we had to end up going on rubber crumb, which isn’t ideal preparation.
“But it’s the same for everybody. I’m sure it will be the same for West Ham, London is pretty bad.”
She also said that there were some concerns the game could be called off due to the treacherous weather, but the Seagulls were still preparing.
Powell added: “We’ll just prepare as if though were gonna play.
“We do appreciate that it can be called off at any time. But we are preparing as if though we’re gonna play the game.”

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