Aston Villa pull away from danger as Liverpool earn valuable point against Brighton in Barclays WSL relegation scrap

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Leicester City are edging ever closer to fighting for their WSL future in a relegation play-off after The Foxes suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa. Kirsty Hanson was the visitors' hero and her 84th-minute winner came as welcome news to fellow relegation battlers Liverpool and Brighton, who played out a goalless draw at Broadfield Stadium. Leicester are now five points from safety.

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Aston Villa survived an almighty scare against rock-bottom Leicester City to pull 11 points clear of the relegation play-off position.

Kirsty Hanson was the hero for the visitors at The King Power Stadium, netting an 84th-minute winner that would have been cheered by West Ham United fans in particular.

Leicester last picked up Barclays WSL points in a 1-0 home win against London City Lionesses in mid-December and currently sit three points adrift of The Irons on nine.

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Winter signing Alisha Lehmann converted Hannah Cain's pull-back to open the scoring in the 38th minute, going on to celebrate against her former club.

But Villa were level almost immediately after the interval as Anna Patten flicked into the net Lynn Wilms' inswinging corner.

Hanson went close to giving the visitors the lead shortly afterwards, but her moment eventually arrived when the Scotland international latched onto Ebony Salmon's long ball and fired under the body of Janina Leitzig.

Leicester's loss was also welcome news for the other two teams in action on Sunday, Liverpool and Brighton, with the pair positioned 10th and ninth respectively.

A 0-0 draw at Broadfield Stadium edged both one point closer to safety, with The Reds now five clear of The Foxes at the bottom and manager Gareth Taylor was not worried about the drop.

"I’m not really looking at that, in the sense of I’m looking up rather than down," Taylor said via Liverpool FC. "I am disappointed today because I wanted to go a point behind them. I wanted to go a point behind Villa, who are playing this afternoon.

"We really are looking up and we want to try to finish as high as we possibly can. I'm really looking forward to the break in the summer and getting ready for the following season, where I’m expecting us to be much improved."

The visitors missed a raft of chances to secure a victory, most notably with Mia Enderby firing over the bar with a mis-timed half-volley in the 37th minute.

But equally, Brighton could have come away with all three points after Manuela Vanegas rattled the crossbar with a close-range header in the second period.

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