Match reportLiverpool produce clinical display to beat Aston Villa 4-1 in WSL

Mia Enderby, Martha Thomas, captain Grace Fisk and substitute Aurélie Csillag were all on the scoresheet for the Reds.

Miri Taylor netted for the visitors in what would ultimately be a consolation goal at St Helens Stadium.

Liverpool started on the front foot and enjoyed an early spell of domination on the ball.

Enderby signalled the first threat to the visitors defence as she shot wide from just inside the box.

The effort was a signal of what was to come, however, as she got on the scoresheet in the ninth minute.

Ceri Holland drove down the left flank and delivered into the six-yard box to find the forward who fired home into the net.

It took five minutes for Liverpool to add to the lead via Martha Thomas.

Holland again caused problems on the left side, crossing into the area where Villa failed to clear their lines.

Thomas had initially slid in her attempts to meet the ball and cleverly manoeuvred herself to volley into the bottom corner whilst still on the floor.

Alejandra Bernabe then saw a shot blocked from inside the box, though the visitors began to grow into the game with pressure of their own.

Liverpool were defending well and holding Villa to shots from distance in the main.

However, four minutes ahead of the interval Taylor produced a wonderful half-volley to reduce the deficit.

The striker gathered a cross at her feet and fired past goalkeeper Jennifer Falk high into the net in impressive fashion.

Following the interval, the game continued in the competitive fashion it ended in the opening half.

Both sides were battling for possession in midfield among a number of changes from either bench.

Falk was again forced to keep out a low drive from Georgia Mullet, while Holland went close herself from a Csillag cross.

Liverpool's goalkeeper again was called into action to halt a low curling shot from Kirsty Hanson after the Villa forward produced a driving run to the edge of the box.

It was Gareth Taylor's side, though, who found breathing room through skipper Fisk inside the final 10 minutes.

A corner ball bounced around the box and fell to the Liverpool captain, who composed herself to drill a low shot through bodies and into the back of the net.

There was still time for the Reds to add a fourth in the seventh minute of added time too, with Csillag gathering to drive through on goal and lift a shot high into the net to put an exclamation point on victory.

Liverpool: Falk, Shimizu (Bonner, 90+5) , Fisk, Clark, Bernabe, Nagano, O'Sullivan, Kapocs, Holland, Thomas (Csillag, 66), Enderby (Bergstrom, 66).

Subs: Kirby, Parry, Evans, Olsson, Woodham, Maclean.

Up next

Liverpool travel to face Chelsea in the Barclays Women's Super League next time out.

The Reds make the trip to Kingsmeadow for a 12pm GMT kick-off on Sunday February 15.