By Aston Villa FC

Aston Villa Women were beaten 2-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion at Banks's Stadium on Wednesday.

Goals either side of half-time from Aileen Whelan and Inessa Kaagman gave the visiting side a fourth successive win in the Barclays FA Women's Super League.

Villa put in an improved performance, but again found goals difficult to come by.

Despite the defeat, results elsewhere meant the table remains largely unchanged going into the next round of fixtures.

Marcus Bignot shuffled his pack for the visit of the Seagulls.

The game featured a whole-new back five, which included the long-awaited return of Ella Franklin-Fraiture from a knee injury.

Asmita Ale and Jodie Hutton were deployed as right- and left-sided centre-backs, either side of captain Marisa Ewers.

Caro Siems also returned at left wing-back.

Villa started the game in bright fashion, bursting down the right-hand side on a couple of occasions in search of a quick beginning.

Mana Iwabuchi and Emma Follis were both unfortunate not to see crosses met by a teammate from that right flank.

However, the Villans still had to be wary of the the threat posed by the visitors.

Lisa Weiß produced a fine fingertip save to deny a long-range effort just after those half-chances from Iwabuchi and Follis.

Villa fashioned another quality chance on 16 minutes, when Chloë Arthur pounced on some loose defending to get a low drive on target.

The Scotland international was thwarted well, however, by former Villa goalkeeper Megan Walsh.

Just as the home side looked to turn the screw, Brighton took the lead.

Weiß, so soon after denying the Seagulls, fumbled a speculative effort into the path of Aileen Whelan who slid in to draw first blood.

It was a suckerpunch for Villa, who looked the more threatening side, even after the goal.

They couldn't quite find a breakthrough, however, and went into the second half looking for a reaction.

The reaction looked like it was imminent, when Follis and Shania Hayles both flashed efforts narrowly wide within the first 10 minutes of the final period.

Those would prove to be only real chances of note, as Albion doubled their lead ten minutes from time.

Inessa Kaagman dispatched a penalty following a coming together in the area, and that would seal the points for Hope Powell's side.



Villa: Weiß, Franklin-Fraiture (Gregory 85'), Ale, Ewers (C), Hutton, Siems (Silva 74'), Asante, Arthur, Iwabuchi, Follis (Syme 78'), Hayles (Hanssen 85')

Unused Subs: Rogers, N'Dow, McLoughlin

Goals: Whelan (21'), Kaagman (81')