Manchester City had to come through a major scare against the Austrian underdogs St Pölten in the Women’s Champions League to secure a seesaw victory.

Just a week after putting in one of the finest performances in the club’s history to deservedly beat the defending European champions Barcelona on home turf, Gareth Taylor’s side were given a major wake-up call when they slipped 2-1 behind early in the second half. But, having rested a swathe of first-team big-hitters from the starting lineup, Taylor called in the cavalry in the second half and a late headed winner from the Australia forward Mary Fowler gave them a 3-2 victory that felt inevitable as the early-season Women’s Super League leaders piled on pressure.

The performance will still have given a relieved Taylor plenty to ponder, however, on a night when his side’s defending from set pieces was especially poor, and they demonstrated a frustrating profligacy in front of goal at the other end.

Initially, it had appeared it would be a straightforward night for the English club, especially when Alanna Kennedy went out of character to blast a scorching, long-range strike into the far corner to open the scoring inside the first five minutes. It was the Australia centre-back’s first goal in club football since a win over Birmingham City in May 2022, and her first goal in the Women’s Champions League.

Ironically Kennedy then spurned a chance fans would have expected her to convert, glancing a header wide at the back post from a Fowler corner when only two yards out. Laura Blindkilde Brown also placed wide, rather tamely, from close range with another gilt-edgedCity chance in a first half when they were being held up by a series of fine saves from Carina Schlüter. The goalkeeper gave St Pölten hope by denying Jess Park, the Japan forward Aoba Fujino and Fowler, before Fowler agonisingly saw a deflected effort hit the crossbar.

The home side then capitalised on some sloppy City defending to equalise, Melanie Brunnthaler tucking in the leveller. Taylor brought on the Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw at half-time – seemingly much earlier than planned – in response to the scoreline, but two more excellent saves from Schlüter kept the scores level before the Austrians – who picked up just a single point in the group stages of last season’s Champions League – took a shock lead whenKamila Dubcova skilfully fire into the corner of the net on the turn. This time it was a deep free-kick which City did not clear, allowing the Czech Republic midfielder to swivel and score in the second phase.

Within four minutes of falling behind, Fujino volleyed in from Chloe Kelly’s perfectly weighted cross to make it 2-2, but Taylor was not satisfied – a triple change introduced A-listers Lauren Hemp, Jill Roord and Laia Aleixandri, and with them came City domination. Eventually, a lethal inswinging corner from Hemp was headed in by Fowler to keep City’s winning start to their Champions League campaign intact.

Taylor’s much-changed starting side included a senior club debut for the 18-year-old Codie Thomas, and the manager will have been encouraged by elements of her performance at right-back. The academy product was given a chance a week after another young City defender, the 20-year-old England Under-23 international Naomi Layzell, had been a surprise star of the victory over Barcelona with a goal and assist.

There was also some cause for encouragement for Kelly, who started the game after being an unused substitute in the wins against Barcelona and Liverpool. Her reduction in game time so far this season had prompted reports that she is considering leaving the club, apparently after falling out with Taylor, but on Tuesday he called the story “a non-event” and said he was happy with Kelly. Her assist for Fujino’s second-half equaliser was vital to the comeback.