OXFORD United Women fell to a third straight defeat as they were beaten 2-0 at home to Aston Villa in FA Women’s Super League 2 on Sunday.

Goals either side of halftime from Jade Richards and Olivia Fergusson sealed United’s fate, with Lauren Allison also missing a 90th-minute penalty for the U’s.

Manager Les Taylor was left frustrated with his side’s struggles.

He said: “I thought we were poor – the first few games we played we’ve had performances even in defeat, but (here) we just weren’t at the races.

“I thought that Aston Villa were a team that we could have beaten if we had performed, but we were nowhere near.”

Oxford were immediately forced onto the back foot by a lively Aston Villa side and found themselves a goal down after 18 minutes.

Goalkeeper Demi Lambourne failed to collect Katie Wilkinson’s through ball, allowing Richards past her to roll the ball into the net.

Kerri Welsh almost doubled the away side’s advantage when she rattled the bar with a strike shortly afterwards.

The second goal did come in the 65th minute when Wilkinson unlocked the United defence with a magnificent through ball for Fergusson to lift over the advancing Lambourne.

Oxford got their chance to pull one back as the match ticked into stoppage time when Laura Low’s shot struck Katie Moran on the arm.

But Allison was unable to take advantage, firing her penalty well wide of the lefthand post.

To watch an FA Women’s Super League match near you, visit ticketstores.co.uk/ fawsl for tickets.

Oxford Utd: Lambourne, Nichol (Meade HT), Bruce, Osborne-Ricketts, Lane, Hines, Nutman, Franklin-Fraiture (Pinker 65), Pickett (Low 65), Stanley, Allison. Subs not used: Cox, Chivers, Jaadla.

Referee: P Staynings.

Attendance: 281.