Aston Villa 0-0 Man Utd

Aston Villa Women picked up their best result of the season on Sunday evening, drawing 0-0 with Manchester United at the Banks’s Stadium.

Villa defended with determination throughout and perhaps felt they could have won the game during the second half.

The result takes Villa’s points total to 21 for the season with two games remaining.

Carla Ward was faced with several injury worries heading into the game.

Hannah Hampton was named as a doubt in Friday’s press conference and ultimately missed out against United.

Sian Rogers, who last started a WSL game 596 days prior, started between the sticks.

Meanwhile, WSL Academy players Anna Draper, Olvia Rabjohn and Evie Rabjohn were all named amongst the substitutes having impressed in training over recent weeks.

Rogers was tested from the outset by Marc Skinner’s Champions League-chasing side.

Martha Thomas was slipped through by Ella Toone and saw a low effort palmed away by Villa’s ‘keeper.

That would be the last clear-cut opportunity United would create for some time, as Villa asserted themselves on proceedings.

Sarah Mayling cut into the area from the right-hand side and will want to have done better on her left foot.

The right-back skewed her attempt well wide and fell to her knees in disappointment.

Half-time came and went with the two sides locked level, and the second period played out in similarly full-hearted fashion.

Both sides threw on substitutions in an attempt to both freshen things up and aim for an elusive opener.

Ward turned to Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah and Shania Hayles in the hopes of stretching United’s backline further towards its own goal.

But while that elusive opener remained so for both teams, there could only have been one happy set of players and staff as the full-time whistle was blown.

United’s chances of finishing in this season’s top three were dented, Villa’s chances of jumping up another place or two were strengthened.