Burnley 0-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa continued their 100% start in the Players Cup with a 2-0 win at Burnley.

Striker Georgia Mullett opened the scoring from close range in the fifth minute steering into an empty net from a pin-point Lily Murphy cross.

Murphy rolled in the second shortly after half time, showing great skill to evade two defenders before picking out the far corner.

Up next is a trip to Goodison Park on Sunday to face Everton in the Women’s Super League. The next home outing is the visit of Birmingham City in the Subway Players Cup on Wednesday, October 28. 

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It was a perfect start for the visitors at a drizzly and windy Turf Moor, with Mullett securing the lead inside five minutes.

The Academy graduate, one of six changes made by Brian Sørensen after Sunday’s win over Liverpool, perfectly timed her run into the six yard box to tap home Murphy’s inviting cross.

The number 18 almost doubled her tally three minutes later, combining with Murphy in a carbon copy move that produced the opener, though on this occasion she steered her side footed effort wide.

Villa’s domination continued throughout the opening quarter of an hour as they pushed the hosts back into their defensive third.

Murphy and McAulay were proving a handful out wide on their respective returns to the starting XI, though their deliveries were well handled by the Clarets’ back line.

The hosts went close to equalising against the run of play midway through the half as Alethea Paul tried her luck from range, though Villa stopper Emily Ramsey stretched out a long arm to tip it over the bar.

As the interval approached, the sides exchanged possession with little created in the way of chances.

Youngsters Rachel Maltby and Katie Scott combined to get into the left channel, though a Burnley defender was there to stop the cross.

Meanwhile Lynn Wilms, who took over the armband for the evening with Anna Patten named on the bench, powered a header clear from inside the box from a corner to preserve the 1-0 advantage heading into the break.

Hosts Burnley seized the impetus at the start of the second half, bringing increased tempo in their attacking play in search of a leveller

Defender Maddi Wilde fired inches beyond the upright from the edge of the box, before Villa hit back emphatically by notching a second goal.

Having assisted the opener in the first half Murphy turned scorer on 56 minutes.

The winger showed great composure to cut inside off the right flank, and jink between two defenders before rolling her finish inside the far corner.

With a two-goal cushion secured, interim head coach Sørensen opted for a triple Villa substitution on the hour.

Patten, Maya Hijikata and Océane Deslandes came on as Wilms, Mathilde Harviken and Justine Kielland all made way.

Hijikata almost made an instant impact after being picked out by Scott's cut back from the byline, though the referee's whistle halted played before she could pick her spot.

Villa remained comfortable as the game entered its closing stages, going close to adding a third goal on two occasions.

First Maltby darted beyond the back line before having a curling effort deflected wide of the post, before Murphy forced Burnley stopper Jackie Burns into a fingertip stop from range. 

With ten minutes to go midfielder Imogen Seymour was introduced for her senior debut on her 18th birthday, capping off a superb away performance from a young Villa side.