Ring-rusty Burnley FC Women lose at Stoke City

A below par second half performance consolidated the result, and now leaves them in a mid-table position.

In the only other encounter between the teams, two years ago, the Clarets came out victors in a FACup second round penalty shoot-out after a battling performance.

In this game, the Clarets’ first league game since mid-January, they lacked determination in parts, and will need to rekindle their early season league performances if they are to achieve a firm top half finish.

Stoke moved the ball around well in the early stages, but the Clarets also looked dangerous on the counterattack.

Sarah Agger was caught offside as she attempted to break though the hosts’ high defensive line.

An early long distance shot from Stoke’s Faye McCoy landed harmlessly on the roof of the net, then moments later Agger shot from within the box, but a defender slid in to deflect the ball over the bar.

Agger slotted through to Evie Priestley, who was shouldered off the ball by the last defender, and a shot from 18 yards by Agger hit the side netting.

Stoke responded, and McCoy attempted another shot from distance that drifted over.

The Clarets had a good chance when Priestley cut a ball back from the bye line, and Agger’s shot bounced back out after hitting the underside of the bar.

The Clarets were undone when a high ball into the box was left for Lauren Bracewell to collect, but player of the match Natasha Baptiste popped up to head home.

The Clarets had a good chance to equalise late on in the half when Lizzy Hamer shot at an angle and forced a good diving save.

The home side took the initiative in the second half and within minutes Baptiste had doubled her tally.

She collected a loose ball that had travelled across the goal mouth, and finished well.

The Clarets remained under pressure and McCoy added a third goal when she struck a shot from 22 yards with the outside of her boot curling the ball inside the post.

On Sunday Burnley FC Women are at home to Loughborough Foxes, kick-off 2 p.m. at Padiham’s Ruby Civil Arena.