Albion Women fell just short in a closely-fought defeat to Wolves Women in the FA WNL Northern Premier Division at Molineux on Friday night.
Two goals either side of the half-time whistle from Amber Hudges and Tammi George gave the hosts all three points despite a battling display from the visitors.
Albion had an opportunity through Simran Jhamat in the first period, and tested the goalkeeper with Delphi Cole’s efforts in the second but ultimately couldn’t find a breakthrough.
The defeat ended Albion’s four-game unbeaten run, though they have the opportunity to bounce back against AFC Fylde next weekend.
Head coach Siobhan Hodgetts-Still made three switches from the side that beat Halifax last time out. In midfield, Abi Loydon came in for Kate Evans, Phoebe Warner was restored to the XI in place of Mariam Mahmood and Jhamat came back in for Taylor Reynolds.
The Baggies took the match to the hosts in the early stages, with Ash Brown at the centre of both chances.
Initially, marauding down the right-hand side, she lofted a ball towards the back post only for it to evade the sliding Olivia Rabjohn. Brown then showed a different side to her crossing technique as she curled one towards Jhamat from deep, to be headed downwards and narrowly wide by the forward.
However, Wolves edged ahead just before the interval, Hughes found a gap behind the Albion back-line and slotted past Anna Miller to give the hosts an advantage, arguably against the run of play.
The Baggies looked to equalise after the break and came out of the traps with intensity. Cole was the first to take aim, she worked the angle well before letting fly, however goalkeeper Bec Thomas managed to parry it away.
Substitute Mahmood then got on the end of another dangerous Brown ball in, and she looped a header into the grateful arms of Thomas. In similar fashion to her first chance, Cole soon checked inside before cracking an attempt just past the Wolves post.
Yet the hosts were able to pick out a second, George tapping home after a scramble in the penalty area to undo Albion’s hard work and send them home empty-handed.
Albion Women are next in action on Sunday, March 31 against AFC Fylde at the Valley Stadium.
Albion Women: Miller, Brown, Reavill, Newell, George, Orthodoxou, Loydon (Evans 74’), Warner, Jhamat (Mahmood 46’), Rabjohn (Crackle 90’) Cole.
Substitutes: Jones, Reynolds.