Toffees Make It Five Unbeaten With Spurs Stalemate

Everton made it five games unbeaten with a hard-fought goalless draw away at high-flying Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon.

The result sees the Blues continue their strong form having thrashed Durham 6-0 on Wednesday following two stalemates against Chelsea and Manchester United in the WSL.

Ruby Mace grabbed the Player of the Match award in the capital – the midfielder repeating her award-winning performance at the home of the North Londoners last term.

It was the visitors who created the first real opportunity inside 17 minutes as Ornella Vignola teed the in-form Yuka Momiki on the edge of the area. The forward, who netted a hat-trick in the 6-0 win in midweek, looked to curl past Lize Kop, but saw her placed effort saved by the diving keeper.

History repeated itself only ten minutes later as Momiki saw another strike palmed away by the keeper. The 30-year-old drifted inside from the right and let fly upon reaching the edge of the box. Unfortunately, Kop anticipated the shot and collected after initially spilling the ball.

The hosts responded on 39 minutes as Courtney Brosnan was called in to action to deny Julie Blakstad. After breaching the Blues’ box, the Norwegian feinted before unleashing a rising strike at goal. Brosnan leapt up to tip the ball over the upright, though.

That concluded the action for a tight, physical opening 45; with Blakstad coming close once more five minutes after the interval.

Found at the back-post, the winger fired at goal and seemed destined to get on the scoresheet. However, Hannah Blundell burst forward to narrow the angle and bravely block, evading the danger.

At the other end, Everton caught Spurs on the break after Momiki held the ball up well on the halfway line. Clare Wheeler threaded it through to the advancing Vignola, who raced at goal with the ball at her feet. She pulled the trigger when faced one-on-one with Kop, but saw her low-strike sail agonisingly wide of the far-post.

Brosnan produced another fine stop five minutes later, the keeper denying Cathinka Tandenberg on this occasion. The Norway-international got down low in an attempt to nestle the ball in to the bottom right corner. Somehow, Brosnan reacted rapidly to palm it away for a corner.

Moments later, Blakstad threatened again – the forward rattling the upright on this occasion. She cut-in past Rosa van Gool and let fly, the ball striking the frame of the goal on its way out.

Head coach Scott Phelan made his first change of the game with 12 minutes remaining as Noemie Mouchon, who scored a brace against Durham on Wednesday, replaced Momiki.

The striker almost had an instant impact as she forced Kop in to a smart save. Rion Ishikawa did brilliantly down the unfamiliar right to dance past two challenges before chipping it through to the substitute. Mouchon came inside before unleashing a curling effort that was caught well by the retreating Kop.

The France-youth international came even closer in the dying minutes as she had a chance similar to Vignola previously. Like her teammate, Mouchon’s strike whistled just wide of the far-post from the right-hand side of the box.

The referee then concluded the affair, with attention now turning to Everton’s Players Cup tie with Manchester United on Wednesday night (7pm KO).