The Denmark international collected Julie Blakstad’s pass and let fly from 25 yards, picking out the top corner and sending the crowd wild just before the half-hour mark at Brisbane Road.
It was a truly cracking strike, one which doubled our lead after Signe Gaupset pounced on a mistake at the back to give us an early advantage and helped us on the way to a victory which took us to 33 points – our highest-ever tally in a single WSL season. It also meant we’ve hit double figures for league wins in a single top-flight campaign for the first time.
Ex-Spur Alanna Kennedy pulled one back for the visitors in the last few seconds of normal time, but we retained the upper hand throughout eight additional minutes to make sure of the victory, with the final whistle followed by an emotional post-match ceremony as we thanked the players who will be leaving us this summer.
Gaupset picked the pocket of defender Malou Marcetto in the visitors’ penalty area and drilled inside the near post to give us a 13th-minute lead while Maika Hamano later threatened on the right as we started brightly. Holdt then put us in firm control with 28 minutes gone, collecting Blakstad’s pass as the latter roamed in from the left before turning and firing superbly into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Elene Lete with no chance.
The Lionesses had a spell of pressure at the end of the first half, Kennedy’s sweetly-struck volley somehow claimed by Lize Kop who then kept out Isobel Goodwin’s header, but we could have added a third on the restart when Holdt’s shot was charged down in the box and Lete saved Cathinka Tandberg’s header as we kept the attack alive.
Hamano then hit the crossbar after a short corner routine but once again, as the half went on, the visitors came into it and began to threaten with efforts from Freya Godfrey and Isa Kardinaal landing on the roof of the net before Dephine Cascarino forced a smart save from Kop at her near post in the wake of a dazzling solo run. Kop was there again a few minutes later to deny Jana Fernandez from a tight angle, but in the 90th minute her resistance was finally broken as Kennedy scored on the half-volley from Cascarino’s corner.
Godfrey’s subsequent volley was blocked in the six-yard box as the visitors threatened to level, while substitute Lenna Gunning-Williams could have made the game safe for us when she raced through at the other end, but her early shot was repelled by Lete. Kop was needed for one last save from Nikita Parris, but the final whistle sounded soon afterwards as we deservedly secured maximum points.
Player of the Match | Spurs vs London City Lionesses
Line-ups
Spurs (4-3-3): Kop, Morris (Dennis 88), Koga, A Nilden, Blakstad, Spence (c), Gaupset (Gunning-Williams 88), Holdt (Ahtinen 71), Hamano, Tandberg (England 71), Vinberg. Substitutes (not used): Heeps, Grant, Bartrip, Rybrink, M Nilden.
London City Lionesses (4-2-3-1): Lete, Fernandez, Kardinaal, Sangare (Kennedy 31), Pattinson (Godfrey 60), Geyoro (Parris 80), Kumagai (c), Cascarino, Marcetto (Perez 80), Corrales, Goodwin (Franssi 60). Substitutes (not used): Orman, Goldie, Partido, Linari.
Match data
Goals: Spurs – Gaupset 13, Holdt 28; London City Lionesses – Kennedy 90.
Yellow card: London City Lionesses – Kennedy 49.
Referee: Megan Wilson.
Venue: Brisbane Road, Leyton.
Weather: Sunny, gentle breeze, 18 degrees.
Attendance: 1,809.