Barclays Women’s Championship
With leaders Birmingham City not having a game, the Barclays Women’s Championship table closed up once again and only four points
now cover the top six teams following Sunday’s matches.
The two teams immediately below Birmingham in the table at the start of play met each other, and it was Durham Women who were to go level on points with the Blues after winning 3-2 against London City Lionesses. Carly Johns put Durham ahead in the seventeenth minute and they remained in front until just before half time, when Sofia Jakobsson found space down the right and her low cross was turned in at the near post by Isobel Goodwin. The Wildcats’ response was a swift one though and they regained the lead as Mollie Lambert followed up to score after Michaela Foster’s initial shot had been saved by Grace Moloney. After the break, Beth Hepple slotted home the third from the penalty spot after Teyah Goldie had been adjudged to have brought down Lambert in the area, but the Lionesses were not finished and gave themselves a lifeline, Goodwin firing home a superb strike from the edge of the area. Goodwin then had the chance for a hat-trick and an equaliser when the Lionesses were awarded a penalty for handball but her kick was saved by Tatiana Saunders, Durham holding on from that point for a significant victory.
Bristol City have moved into the top half for the first time this season, on the back of a fine 2-1 victory away to Charlton Athletic. City were quick out of the blocks and took a sixth minute lead when Mari Ward broke down the right and crossed for Lexi Lloyd-Smith to head in at the near post. Ten minutes later and they were two up, Jamie Lee Napier tricking her way down the left before her low centre was tucked home by the oncoming Libby Bance. The Addicks got themselves back into the game just before the interval as a corner was half cleared as far as Jodie Hutton who buried her shot in the far corner but Charlton were unable to go any further from there and City saw the game out for a fourth win in five matches, which leaves them just two points off the pace.
Sunderland meanwhile made it four wins on the trot with a 1-0 success away to Sheffield Utd, a result which takes them up to fifth place. United had a good spell in the first half but neither side could make a breakthrough. Sunderland meanwhile were inches away from taking the lead after the interval when Libbi McInnes curled a shot from the edge of the area which struck the woodwork, but with five minutes remaining, Ellen Jones teed up Eleanor Dale to drive the ball home for the only goal of the game.
There was late, late drama at Newcastle Utd where the home side salvaged a 1-1 draw against Southampton deep into injury time. The Saints made a flying start and took a seventh minute lead as Freya Gregory dispossessed goalkeeper Claudia Moan and slotted the ball into the empty net for the opening goal. Southampton continued to look sharp going forward and went close to a second but at the other end, Katie Barker almost levelled the scores with a shot which clipped the bar. After the break, Newcastle continued to press but could not find a way through a well drilled Southampton defence until the tenth minute of injury time, when a corner was cleared as far as Isabella Sibley who had two efforts charged down but the ball cannoned around the area until Deanna Cooper reacted quickest to turn the ball in from six yards to snatch a point for her side.
Blackburn Rovers brought an end to a worrying run of defeats with a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth, which takes them back out of the bottom two. Rovers were awarded a penalty three minutes before half time for a foul on Georgia Walters in the area and Tyler Toland stepped up to send Eve Annets the wrong way and give Blackburn the lead. Rovers goalkeeper Alex Brooks kept her side in front with an excellent reflex save from a Lily Dent header during the second half and with four minutes remaining, a cool finish from Maria Edwards following a defensive mix-up ensured that they secured a precious result after having suffered six losses in a row.
Leading scorers:
7 - Isobel Goodwin (London City Lionesses);
6 - Shania Hayles (Newcastle United);
6 - Lexi Lloyd-Smith (Bristol City);
5 - Eleanor Dale (Sunderland);
5 - Rianna Dean (Southampton);
4 - Katie Bradley (Charlton Athletic);
4 - Maria Farrugia (Sheffield United);
4 - Katie Kitching (Sunderland);
4 - Mollie Lambert (Durham Women);
3 - Ellie Brazil (Charlton Athletic);
3 - Farah Crompton (Blackburn Rovers);
3 - Lily Crosthwaite (Durham Women);
3 - Marie Edwards (Blackburn Rovers);
3 - Beth Hepple (Durham Women);
3 - Beth Lumsden (Newcastle United);
3 - Karin Muya (Charlton Athletic);
3 - Ffion Morgan (Bristol City);
