Women's football Healy 'delighted' as City get up and running in WSL2

CHARLOTTE Healy was “delighted” after Bristol City Women got the better of Portsmouth to secure their first win of their new head coach's tenure and the WSL 2 season at the High Performance Centre.

- Dan CARTER

The Robins were able to bounce back from their opening-day defeat away to Birmingham City with a 2-0 home victory over Pompey on Sunday afternoon. Rio Hardy's first goal in red and white since her summer move from Rangers and Lexi Lloyd-Smith's late strike proved to be enough to keep all three points in south Bristol.

City took the lead after 40 minutes when Hardy controlled an Emily Syme pass inside the Pompey box before slotting a low right-footed shot past Jess Gray and into the bottom right corner.

The Robins spurned further chances to extend their advantage, including a penalty late in the first half, but Lloyd-Smith put the result beyond doubt when she turned home with her left foot after an impressive run from Vera Jones.

After a difficult first outing as City boss, Healy was delighted with her team’s showing at the HPC.