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In the best traditions of Fergie-time, substitute Millie Turner headed home the winning goal in the fourth minute of added time to help Manchester United stretch their lead at the top of the Women’s Super League to six points.
Mark Skinner had reckoned it was good to play ahead of title rivals – on the proviso United won. With Manchester City playing Leicester on Sunday and the Champions League semi-finalists, Chelsea and Arsenal, not in WSL action this weekend, this was United’s opportunity to put down their marker.
They may have played two more games than City – and three more than Chelsea, whom they lead by seven points – but the nature of this United comeback could yet power them to their first top-flight title.
Rachel Daly twice gave Villa the lead with superb finishes in the first half, against the hitherto meanest defence in the division, yet it was the shot she crashed against the crossbar at 2-1 early in the second half that may yet haunt the England left-back.
Having thrashed Villa 5-0 at Old Trafford in December, and the hosts having not won for three games, this could have looked an appetising fixture. But Carla Ward’s side are enjoying a fine season, with fifth place theirs for the taking.
In Villa’s last game at the Poundland Bescot Stadium this season, two records went with the first of Daly’s goals: Villa’s first goal against United in the WSL was also the first time this season Skinner’s team had conceded a top-flight set-piece goal.
Yet Villa dominated United from crosses into the box throughout the first half, with Lucy Staniforth particularly productive. On her first appearance against the club she left in January, the former Birmingham City midfielder’s corner invited Daly to time her run superbly and flash her header into far the corner. It was an old-fashioned type of centre-forward’s goal.
The scores were level on the 15-minute mark. Ona Batlle collected the ball just inside her own half and accelerated away down the right flank before delivering such a fine low cross that Leah Galton did not have to break stride to sidefoot in her ninth goal of the season. It was also the Spain right-back’s ninth assist of the season.
United’s interplay and composure in playing out from the back was top drawer but Villa never gave them time, Daly urging her teammates to join her in a high press.
This was a cracking game, the tempo unrelenting. Anna Patten, the Villa centre-back, headed another Staniforth corner against the crossbar and nodded Jordan Nobbs’ floated cross over the bar.
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Yet at the other end, Hannah Hampton had to make a great reaction save from Galton after Sarah Mayling cleared off the line and, just before half-time, Hayley Ladd was unfortunate to have a goal chalked off after Hampton, running into Galton, was adjudged to have been fouled by the United winger.
By that stage Daly had moved level top of the WSL scorers with Bunny Shaw on 18. Maz Pacheco crossed low from the left and Daly was allowed enough time to side-foot an expert low shot into the far corner with her left foot.
She so nearly completed the perfect hat-trick on the hour. After a period of sustained United pressure, Villa counter-attacked in devastating fashion. Nobbs played a reverse pass for Kenza Dali to cross low from the left for Daly to crash her shot against the bar with her right foot.
How United made them pay. Everyone was back defending for Villa, inviting the league leaders onto them. Within two minutes, Hannah Blundell crossed from the left wing and Nikita Parris, left heinously unmarked, thudded home her header to equalise.
With Alessia Russo heading over and United using all five substitutes, it seemed like their pressure was not going to pay. But then up stepped Turner to power home a header from yet another great cross, this time from Katie Zelem’s free-kick.
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