Man City 2-1 Aston Villa: Hemp brace earns comeback win

Two goals from Lauren Hemp helped Manchester City come from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the Women’s Super League.

A brilliant finish from Danielle Turner in the seventh minute gave visitors Villa a shock lead and they held on to it until midway through the second half, when the in-form Hemp scored twice in five minutes.

The result lifted Gareth Taylor’s side into second place above Arsenal for 24 hours at least and was their third victory in a row.

Laura Coombs replaced Filippa Angeldal for City in their only change from the thumping of Tottenham before the international break while Simone Magill and Lucy Staniforth started for Villa.

City had the first clear chance in the fourth minute when Hemp broke away down the left and sent in a delightful cross for Khadija Shaw, who could not keep her header down.

Villa then began to apply real pressure and, after Alanna Kennedy had made up for her own mistake by deflecting a shot from Jordan Nobbs behind, Turner met a Kenza Dali cross by hooking a sumptuous volley over her shoulder and into the bottom corner.

Turner then narrowly avoided turning the ball into her own net as City set about trying to find an equaliser.

Hemp sent a crisp volley across the face of goal before Shaw was denied by brilliant defending from Anna Patten as she tried to meet a Chloe Kelly cross.

A mistake from Sarah Mayling then led to a goalmouth scramble, which was ended by a fine save from Daphne van Domselaar to deny Kelly.

The goalkeeper got away with a poor clearance early in the second half, sending the ball straight to Hemp but seeing the England star’s shot fly over the bar.

There was nothing she could do in the 61st minute, though, when Kelly’s fine cross picked out Hemp unmarked, and she made no mistake with her header.

Four minutes later Hemp put the hosts ahead, this time Alex Greenwood heading a corner back across goal and her England team-mate sliding in at the near post.

Hemp would have had a hat-trick but for another fine save from Van Domselaar in the 71st minute to keep out her header.

Villa created little as they tried to find a way back into the game, and they were fortunate not to give away a late penalty when Shaw appeared to be caught by Turner.