By Adam Shaw

Katie Wilkinson believes Aston Villa can push for promotion next season after her sensational volley completed a 2-1 FA Women’s Super League 2 comeback win against Millwall at The Den.

Rinsola Babajide had given the home side the lead in the first half, before Bethan Merrick equalised, setting the scene for Wilkinson to produce a fantastic overhead kick with ten minutes left.

The result consolidates sixth place for Villa, who could technically still finish as high as third this season, and Wilkinson is convinced they are a side who can only get better, both in the remainder of this season, and the next.

“We can't get promoted but we want to have pride in ourselves and in the club,” said Wilkinson.

“We'll try and get as many points as we can and have as many positive performances, like this one, as possible this season. I really think next year we can really push for promotion.

“We've had a couple of weeks off but we've had some decent training sessions so we were raring to go.

“Going one nil down but then coming back just shows what we can do, especially away from home against a good Millwall side.”

The Lionesses had survived some early pressure from the away side, but took the lead on 24 minutes when Babajide scored her sixth of the season with a smart finish from just inside the box.

They could have gone further ahead but a mistimed shot from Ciara Sherwood and a great save from Villa keeper Caitlin Leach from Babajide kept the score at 1-0.   

The second half began as evenly as the first, but just after the hour mark, a hopeful lofted ball sailed over the Millwall defence and Merrick was on hand to poke the ball past Sarah Quantrill.

With ten minutes left, Wilkinson delivered the winner, athletically leaping into the air to power an overhead kick out of Quantrill’s reach.

It was a bitter pill for Millwall to swallow, especially after their first-half performance, which captain Dionne Lennon rated as one of their best of the year.

“It's hard as we're coming back from defeat after defeat and it knocks some of your confidence,” said Lennon.

“Second half they came out with a bit more ambition, which they needed to, they got the goals and obviously the win

“I think in the first half we played really well. It was probably the best half of football we've played for a long time.

“We've got two games left and they're probably the hardest two games we could have in Reading and Donny.

“We'll go again, we've lost five on the bounce now and it's tough coming back from that to then play the two best teams in the league.

“We've just got to pick ourselves up and go again.”

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