With both these sides boasting 100% League records County travelled down to Birmingham knowing that they would have to play well to come away with any points.

And they found themselves getting off to the worst possible start when, after only 17 seconds, they went a goal down. A mix up in the County rear guard led to the Villa striker having an easy finish and putting the home side one goal up.

Having had such a bad start tended to knock the stuffing out of the away side for a short while but, after a dodgy few minutes, they slowly started to get their game together and began to impose themselves on the opposition.

On seven minutes County went close when Kerry Jackson collected the ball on the edge of the Villa area from a corner. She managed to control the ball well but saw her shot just go over the bar for a goal kick.

The Hatters were now starting to dominate the game with midfielders Charlotte Higginson, Abbie Wynn and Captain Nicola Doig controlling the game and, on 23 minutes, they brought the score back level.

County were awarded a free kick about 30 yards out wide on the left. Krystle Johnston stepped up to take it and sent a powerful shot sailing into the top corner of the goal.

The away side nearly went ahead on 43 minutes when Keeleigh Savage got onto the end of a corner 16 yards out only to see her header rebound to safety off the Villa crossbar.
Only a minute later, though, and just before the break the ball was nestling inside the Villa goal when Charlotte Higginson met a free kick with her head and sent the ball flying past the 'keeper.

The second period started with the home side having a couple of snap shots from outside the area, but keeper Sian Payne was more than up to them and held on to them comfortably.

County then broke to the other end where Krystle Johnston cut in from the left wing and hit a shot just wide. Caroline Price then went close with a low shot that went just wide of the Villa post.

On 75 minutes County made two substitutions. Jane Fox came on to replace Caroline Price up front and Sarah Howden came on to replace Hannah Clarke at left back.

Ten minutes from time the Hatters nearly killed the game off when Charlotte Higginson mad a strong run into the box but, after trying to switch the ball from her right to favoured left foot, was quickly closed down by the Villa defence and the chance had gone.

For the minutes the game went from end to end with both sides pressing for that all important goal. Dee Mannion made some strong runs down the right and the Villa side found themselves through on the County goal a couple of times but the County defence marshalled by Claire Harrop closed them down well and Sian Payne made a couple of fine one-on-one saves.

The Hatters made one more substitution with Jenny Cummins coming on at right back to replace Kerry Jackson and, as the final whistle blew, it was the away side that collected all three points to continue their 100% start with three wins from three.

County: Payne, Jackson, Harrop, Clarke, Wynn, Doig, Higginson, Mannion, Johnston, Savage, Price, Cummins, Fox, Howden, Pearse, Chow.