Raheny United 0 Bristol Academy 4
Raheny United have been left with an impossible task in their quest to reach the last-16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, after a Natasha Harding-inspired Bristol Academy recorded a comprehensive first-leg victory at Richmond Park.
The 1,248-strong crowd created a positive atmosphere in the home of Airtricity League title holders St Patrick’s Athletic, but with the outstanding Harding finding the net in both halves, Raheny simply couldn’t contain their cross-channel counterparts.
The WNL champions had started the game in lively fashion, but as the opening half wore on, Bristol started to display the quality that helped them to secure a top-tier European place last season.
A through-ball by Spanish attacker Natalia Pablos on 14 minutes almost resulted in an own-goal from Shauna Newman, but international netminder Niamh Reid-Burke was relieved to see her defensive header drifting past the post.
This was a sign of things to come, however, and it came as no surprise when Dave Edmondson’s outfit broke the deadlock just shy of the half-hour mark.
After picking up the ball close to the centre circle, Nikki Watts embarked on a mazy run through the Raheny rearguard, before off-loading to Harding on the right-hand side.
The Welsh winger had enough time to eye up the target, and she delivered a clinical strike to the far corner of the net.
This was a massive set-back for Casey McQuillan’s side, and they suffered a further blow six minutes prior to the interval when injury led to an early withdrawal for right-back Keeva Keenan.
Reid-Burke had kept the hosts within touching distance with a brace of opening period saves, and when Watts unleashed an audacious attempt from a tight-angle upon the resumption, she produced an eye-catching, acrobatic stop.
However, Bristol ‘keeper Mary Earps was finally called into action towards the end of the third-quarter, when Pearl Slattery’s towering header - via an enticing right-wing delivery - found its way towards the target.
Bristol were always dangerous in possession, though, and their second goal of the evening arrived 12 minutes from time.
Watts was once again thwarted by Reid-Burke, but with the ball rebounding into the danger zone, Harding was on hand to supply a crisp finish from close-in.
This proved to be an insurance score on the night for Bristol, and thanks further goals in stoppage-time by Watts (from the penalty spot) and Pablos, they are now in pole position to progress to the next stage of the competition.
Raheny United: Reid-Burke; Keenan (Dwyer, 39), Slattery, Walsh, Conlon (O'Farrelly 80); Sheehy (Shine, 55), Graham, Creagh, McCabe, Killeen; Murray.
Bristol Academy: Earps; McCatty, Rose, Matthews, Dykes (Brown, 89); Harding, James, Ingle, Yorston (Del Rio Garcia, 78); Watts, Pablos.
Referee: E Lampadariou (Greece).
