Everton 1-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa were forced to settle for a point in their first league game of the year as they drew 1-1 away to Everton this evening.

Rachel Daly put the Villans 1-0 up on the 31^st minute as they dominated proceedings, but they were left to rue missed chances as Veatriki Sarri stole a point for the hosts with a minute to go.

Interim head coach Shaun Goater made two changes to his side that beat Bristol Rovers 9-0 in the Women’s FA Cup last Sunday as Noelle Maritz and Jill Baijings came into the starting 11 for Sarah Mayling and Miri Taylor.

Villa started the game brightly and had an opportunity to open the scoring on the 13^th minute as Ebony Salmon cut back inside the final third before thundering a shot towards the far top corner, but Courtney Brosnan pulled off her first of many great saves.

The Everton keeper was called back into action less than a minute later as she got up high to tip a header from Anna Patten over the bar after the defender flicked on a ball from Jordan Nobbs.

Adriana Leon flashed some fancy footwork on the 16^th minute as she skipped past a couple of blue shirts on the byline before pulling the trigger on a shot, but the effort was pushed around the post.

Sabrina D’Angelo got up high inside the Villa box two minutes later as she collected and extinguished a free-kick from Hayley Ladd.

The Villans’ pressure finally paid off on the 31^st minute as Daly netted her fifth league goal of the campaign.

The side broke quickly into the Everton half and Maritz’s cross dropped kindly for Daly inside the area who nodded home.

Leon was denied again on the 35^th minute as she carried the ball through the final third before drilling a shot goal wards from the edge of the box, but the keeper got down to smother the effort.

Brosnan kept her side in it once again just before the break as she frustrated Leon with another fine save. Salmon held up the ball before slipping a delightful pass through the defence and into the Canadian’s path, but her shot was saved.

Villa continued to dominate the match after the half-time break and Gabi Nunes went agonisingly close to doubling their lead on the 47^th minute.

The Brazilian curled a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards out that was certainly heading for the top left corner but Brosnan somehow got up to push the effort over the bar.

Salmon had two great chances to extend her side’s lead on the hour mark as she skipped past several markers and into the six yard box, but her back-to-back efforts were again saved by Brosnan.

Substitute Miri Taylor took a touch inside the box before drilling a shot on goal, but her effort was deflected just wide of the target.

Villa were punished for not taking their chances as Sarri levelled it for the visitors on the 89^th minute as she fired home a first time shot from the edge of the box.