Brighton 0-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa Women won 1-0 away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.

Alisha Lehmann broke the deadlock shortly after the hour-mark, her second goal in a week, to hand Villa three points in their final away game of the season.

Carla Ward made a pair of changes from the side that started last weekend’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United at Villa Park.

Anna Leat, returning from her one-game suspension, got the nod between the sticks while Alsha Lehmann came in for Adriana Leon having netted against the Hammers.

The Seagulls enjoyed the lion’s share of possession from the outset but Rachel Daly was the first player to register an attempt on goal.

Her effort, though, was comfortably held by Melina Loeck in the Brighton goal.

Lehmann then had a clear sight of goal minutes later but sliced wide following Kirsty Hanson’s cutback from the left-hand side.

Brighton’s first opening came after 16 minutes when the ball broke to Geummin Lee inside the Villa penalty area but her opportunistic effort was straight at Leat.

The remainder of the first half ebbed and flowed with Daly and Elisabeth Terland sending efforts wide of the mark, but Hanson drew the biggest gasp from the crowd when she thundered a long-range attempt off the crossbar with half-time approaching.

The second half started pretty slowly but Villa drew first blood when Lehmann swept home inside the area after good work from Daly.

Ward responded by making a triple change, perhaps to try and add further goals to the lead.

Rachel Corsie, Ebony Salmon and Adriana Leon all came on for the final 25 minutes as Villa were suddenly in charge.

Their lead was never seriously threatened from thereon in as they recorded a league win at Broadfield Stadium for the fourth season running.