Tranmerekat on Tour: One More Cup Of Toffees For The Road

Brighton & Hove Albion WFC v Everton WFC in the WSL at the Broadfield Stadium

The Seagulls host the Toffees 🍬 as we are back in Crawley 🕷 just 4 days after Tranmere's defeat here on saturday. It finished a goal apiece when these last met in the final game of last season. It's the first WSL game for new manager Melissa Phillips. Brighton gave won just 2 league games since the sides last met but carry the confidence from the great performance against Man Utd at the weekend. Everton, BS seen here in (very nice actually) Barbie pink kit are having a solid season in mid table. Sally the Seagull is here but we steer clear as she is well scarey.

They started on the front foot and were pressing Everton back. Katie was a menace on the right and Lee playing well in the middle. Bance was right in there again breaking up the play. Lee wins a free kick, Poppy takes it and Terland heads it in on 12 ⚽. Well deserved. Brighton were camped out in the Blue half at times but they are also getting a few chances, being dangerous on the break. The Seagulls had more than a few half chances saved. Katie Robinson chases a bouncing through ball and gets a toe on it to lob the keeper. It seemed to take an age to go up and down and it looked like it was going over the bar but then it bounced and looked like it was going wide but it hit the back of the net on 42⚽. Step up Katie Lobbo. Hope she is OK as she got flattened by the keeper in the process. Great timing just before half time and 2-0 up at the break.

Three changes for the visitors at half time and it changes the balance of the game. Brighton have swapped Robbo and Sari left and right. Not sure why that is but hope it works. Everson are much more on the front foot. Brighton cope with the pressure and then a strange thing happens. The ref stops the game and the linesman from the far side walks round the pitch and goes down the tunnel. After about 5 minutes the 4th official takes his place running the line with no explanation what has happened. Very strange and going to be some serious added time at the end. The visitors pressure gets a reward when Snoeijs scores on the break on 63. Sari goes off for Kayleigh Green and Lee for Carter. Kayleigh makes a run down the right and a low cross to Terland is side-footed into the net on 80⚽. Linesman on our side makes no friends when he gives what is clearly a Brighton throw to Everton. It results in an attack that leads to Snoeijs getting a second on 83. Spectators are even more bemused when Carter is booked for time wasting at the restart. Hardly her fault when the rest of the team as still getting into position. Get to 90 minutes and there are 9 more added on. The Seagulls are now running down the clock by heading for the corners. They are quite good at it too. Poppy gets booked for timewasting on 90+5. The Toffees apply pressure and it's a nervous few minutes until the whistle finally goes to signal the end and a win.

Phew. The was a relief. Finally got to see a Seagulls win and in some style as well. Great performance from the girls. Two places off the bottom of the league after that.

POTM: Tough one to call today but in a good way. They were all awesome but it goes to Katie Lobbo for the spectacular goal. To lob like that at speed under pressure and hit the target takes some nerve and skill. 🏆

Ref did ok mostly. Weird thing with the lino but it's not the ref job to communicate with the fans. She is, however, not forgiven for the throw in mistake that led to the Everton goal. Offside decisions were not as bad as we have seen here previously here.

Scranometer did the double with a pizza 🍕 from the DoughShack and a veggie pie 🥧 later on. They scored a 9/10 and 8/10. The hot chocolate was a 7/10 but the (alleged) coffee was 3/10. It worked well as a hand warmer though.

Few days off now.

Love Tranmerkat 🐾