Hannah Keryakoplis’ two superb goals were not enough to claim any share of the points, as the Reds let a 2-0 lead slip away, losing 3-2 at home to Lincoln Ladies.
The side started brightly in Matt Beard’s first home game in charge, with Keryakoplis heading inches wide from a corner five minutes in.
Lincoln had the chance to go ahead a few minutes later, but Remi Allen could only put her effort the wrong side of the post.
The first goal came 17 minutes into the first half, when Keryakoplis found herself with time on the far edge of the Lincoln area, and her chipped shot found its way into the net, soaring over the head of the advancing Nicola Hobbs in the Imps goal.
The Reds came close to doubling their lead minutes after the first, when a handball resulted in a free kick just outside the Lincoln box. Michelle Evans stepped up and her curling left footed effort beat the sprawling Hobbs, but soared just past the far corner.
Lincoln turned up the pressure but the Liverpool defence proved far too strong. A goal-line scramble ensued from a near post corner, but the combined efforts of Nicky Davies and her back four saw the ball cleared to safety.
After the break Beard’s side came out all guns blazing, and Emily Gielnik's header was denied only by the woodwork just 5 minutes after the restart.
Keryakoplis doubled her side's lead with her second goal. She found herself just inside the area, and after some trickery she beat the defender and fired into the top corner with a powerful right-footed strike.
Lincoln then clawed one back with Lucy Staniforth finishing after an impressive mazy run. Precious Hamilton levelled the scores just 6 minutes later, when her header beat Nicola Davies in the Liverpool goal.
The Liverpool backline faced a spell of pressure, but Davies kept true to recent form and pulled off a string of saves to keep the match tied.
However she could do nothing about Lincoln’s third, when Remi Allen had time to pick her spot and slot past the keeper on the 84th minute to give the visitors all three points.
Matt Beard expressed his disappointment with the final result; “After our second we had good shape and could have gone on and got a third. We had been working hard and when we were ahead I couldn’t see any other result than the win.
We showed character and still created chances even when we were 3-2 down, and defensive work we’ve done in training came to show in today’s game.”
He added that the game was a fair reflection of the Red's season, but insists the side are ready to regroup and build on the positives from the game ahead of Wednesdays derby clash against Everton.
Final Score Liverpool Ladies 2-3 Lincoln Ladies.
By Mitch Francis.
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