Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Aston Villa: Jordan Nobbs hits wonderful winner for visitors

Jordan Nobbs struck a wonderful winner as Aston Villa made light of suspended striker Rachel Daly's absence to beat Tottenham in the Women's Super League.

England midfielder Nobbs flashed home a superb first-time finish from 20 yards with the outside of her right boot to settle an entertaining encounter.

Adriana Leon had initially put Villa ahead, poking home inside Barbora Votikova's near post, but Amy James-Turner headed Spurs level from Eveliina Summanen's free-kick.

However, Nobbs won it in style - and almost scored a second to truly cement the points, steering Kenza Dali's inviting pull-back onto the crossbar.

Carla Ward's visitors were grateful to fine stops from Daphne van Domselaar either side of Nobbs' winner as she saved brilliantly from both Martha Thomas and Spurs substitute Jessica Naz.

Villa were without last season's Golden Boot winner Daly because of a three-game retrospective ban for elbowing Bristol City's Megan Connolly but closed within three points of sixth-placed Spurs with the win.

Ward's side have struggled to build on last season's fine fifth-placed finish, the club's best ever placing in the top flight, not helped by losing their first five games amid an admittedly tough start.

But they have rebounded admirably, with this win - a fifth victory in nine WSL matches - further rekindling belief they could emulate last year's position, even if fifth-placed Liverpool are six points better off with eight games remaining.

That they once again did so without the influential Daly - having also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup in her absence by beating Brighton on penalties - was particularly impressive.

Canada striker Leon has been potent in recent weeks and she set Villa on the way, her strike at Leyton Orient's Gaughan Group Stadium her third in her past five WSL appearances.

Spurs stopper Votikova might have been disappointed with how she allowed Leon's poked effort to creep in to the bottom corner but she made a flying stop to prevent the Villa forward adding a second in first-half stoppage time.

In between, Turner had powered home a fine header from Summanen's perfectly-floated free-kick but Spurs were left to rue several near-misses in the early stages of the second period.

Beth England remains without a WSL goal this season but was unlucky to see a 35-yard lob drift just wide before the Netherlands goalkeeper Van Domselaar came off her line to block brilliantly from Thomas.

Villa have dropped 14 points from winning positions this season but kept their hosts relatively quiet after Nobbs fired them back in front, although Spurs still had chances as Kit Graham lashed a volley just wide and Van Domselaar did well to foil Naz's curler.

Robert Vilahamn's Spurs have now lost three of their past four WSL home games and have kept a clean sheet just once in their last 11 on home turf.