Liverpool chalked up a paramount victory at Prenton Park, as a Missy Bo Kearns finish ten minutes before the break saw the Reds edge past relegation rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.
Kearns latched onto the first goal scorer, Emma Koivisto, bell across the face of goal and the Reds seven was presented with a simple finish as Liverpool held onto victory.
Liverpool extended a cushion between themselves and the relegation zone, whereas Spurs began to slip perilously into a battle for the drop.
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Story of the match
Both sides who are under sincere pressure to keep their nerve in an intensifying relegation battle, it was Matt Beard’s Reds who came out the blocks straight away, placing Tottenham under siege.
Midfielder Ceri Holland ventured forward from the centre of the park with a mazy run, leaving the Spurs back-line static. Holland shifted in from the left but a stinging shot across the box trickled wide.
Half efforts were thwarted by the visitors, as from a subtle flick on by Katie Stengel, left-back Taylor Hinds shook the defenders leg, as she made a valiant block to deny the Reds an opener.
The best chance in the opening minutes fell to the ever-threatening hosts, as another opportunity went wasting.
Stengel and Missy Bo Kearns linked up efficiently and this allowed the Scouser in front of goal. Kearns played across Yana Daniels, but the Belgian couldn’t take advantage as her shot was agonisingly denied by the Spurs shot-stopper, Tinja-Riikka Korpela.
Despite the hosts pressure, it was Tottenham who made the breakthrough.
Drew Spence hauled a ball over to Rosella Ayane, who’s rocket of a strike nestled into the bottom corner.
Liverpool made the best possible reaction to going behind, as they drew level within five minutes.
A venomous forward run by Emma Koivisto presented the Finnish with a chance to strike from afar. The Reds full-back took on the daring task and despite a vicious deflection of a Tottenham defender, it looped over a hapless Korpela, who could only stare as the ball drifted over her.
Tottenham looked to reclaim their lead as an attack was spearheaded by Beth England was nearly converted, but her low drive was subsequently blocked in the nick of time.
Arguably in their favour, it was the hosts who netted a second and took the lead going into the break.
A piercing ball through the centre of the park by Fuka Nagano took Kerys Harris out the game, who could only desperately race back as the ball reached Koivisto. She unselfishly played across Missy Bo Kearns who stroked home with relative ease as the Reds faithful entered jubilation.
Rachael Laws was called into rare action, preventing Spurs from equalising. Beth England’s looping header looked destined for the back of the net, but a springing Laws mopped up the danger with a stunning finger tip save.
HT: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
The Reds re-kindled their goal scoring threat, as Koivisto raced forward from full-back and almost had her second.
Neat interchange on the flanks between Kearns and Campbell resulted in the latter receiving the ball in a dangerous zone. She had only Koivisto to aim at in the area, but the Finnish’s header never matched the build-up play, as the contact wasn’t clean enough to divert it goalwards.
Liverpool were forced to weather the storm, as two valiant blocks on the line denied Spurs efforts to level the game.
As the game petered out, there was time for one more effort, and it fell the hosts way.
Katherine Stengel broke behind the Tottenham defence as she entered a foot race, but her attempted poke beyond the advancing Korpela flew wide.
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
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Player of the match
Missy Bo Kearns (Liverpool)
It was a completely assertive display by the Liverpool winger, as Kearns constantly had Tottenham players in her wake.
Her tricky footwork left many transfixed and her goal that came proved to be well-merited, as she put the icing on the cake on an important Liverpool win.