London Bees secured a valuable three points as they edged Blackburn Rovers in an entertaining game at Bamber Bridge.

Nikita Whinnett’s 39th minute wonder goal was enough to secure the Bees first win of the FA Women’s Championship season.

Lee Burch’s side will hail the performance of his goalkeeper as a string of superb stops kept the Bees ahead in the game, as the newly promoted side piled on pressure in long spells of the game.

The hosts started on the front foot and had the first chance of the game as a defensive mix up allowed Redman an opening, however skipper Megan Alexander did well to get in front of the attacker.

Sarah Quantrill did excellently well to keep the scoreline level after 15 minutes as she scampered across goal quickly to palm away Holbrook’s free kick.

Up the other end Whinnett saw her powerful strike blocked by a sea of blue and white shirts as the ball fell kindly to her in the penalty area.

On an intensely hot day in the North-West, Quantrill had to be alert as a long free kick bounced awkwardly towards her goal, however the Bees number one tipped over for a corner.

The Bees found the opener just six minutes before the break, a superb long ball forward by Georgia Robert was latched onto by Whinnett who audaciously lobbed Hill to score her first for the Club.

After the break, the hosts continued to pressure the Bees backline and Quantrill was called into action again as she tipped over Fenton’s long range effort.

Lauren Pickett could have doubled the Bees lead with 35 minutes remaining, as she superbly beat her defender but her shot went straight at Hill in the Rovers goal.

With 18 minutes left the Bees came inches to securing the win as Bonnie Horwood headed against the underside of the bar, however it bounced away off the line. Loomes followed in but her effort was scrambled away by the Rovers defence.

Into the final moments of the game and the hosts threw everything to get take a point from the encounter, but the Bees were resilient and stood firm to ensure they made the long journey home with all three points.

 

Bees team: Quantrill, Alexander, West, Robert, Brooks (Loomes ’45), Pickett (Dench ’90), Horwood, Gibson, Whinnett, Gamby, Hazard (O’Leary ‘5)