ISOBEL Goodwin scored a brace as Coventry United Ladies continued their recent resurgence with a 3-1 win against Blackburn Rovers.
The Red and Greens scored three goals in the space of 11 first-half minutes as Ebony Wiseman opened the scoring before Goodwin’s double with Merrick Will sent off for Coventry late on at Butts Park Arena.
And the result means Coventry remain rooted to the bottom of the Women’s Championship table, five behind behind Sheffield United who have a game in hand.
The home side made a blistering start as Wiseman found the net on six minutes when her shot deflected past the Blackburn goalkeeper from Mary McAteer’s lay off.
And Coventry doubled their lead on 15 minutes as Goodwin picked out the bottom right corner from McAteer’s defence splitting through ball.
The points were all but sealed just two minutes later when Goodwin scored her second of the game as she headed in Megan Alexander’s set-piece.
Debutant goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel made a superb save to deny Blackburn’s Farah Crompton before Rovers reduced the deficit on 42 minutes when Jade Richards headed home from the resulting corner.
United had the better of the chances in the second period as Wiseman shot narrowly past the post and Goodwin saw her effort from close range blocked.
However, the home side were reduced to 10 players in the final minute when Will received a second yellow card following a heated altercation with Rovers player Saffron Jordan.
Head Coach Lee Burch said: “I think it was a very good performance from the word go to be honest, I thought we started so well and really got at Blackburn, got behind them, got around them, caused them problems.
“I think after such a good start and when you start well, you’ve got to take your chances and I think we did that.”
Coventry are next in action away at Women’s Super League side Brighton and Hove Albion in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, February 26 with kick-off at 2pm at Broadfield Stadium.
