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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

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Barclays WSL2

Bristol City produced a crucial victory in the Barclays Women's Super League 2 as they defeated league leaders Charlton Athletic 2-1 at Ashton Gate, handing the Addicks a second defeat in three matches.

Sophie Ingle and Lexi Lloyd-Smith struck either side of half time for the Robins, with Gillian Kenney replying for the visitors. The opening fifteen minutes proved largely uneventful, with Charlton enjoying plenty of possession but failing to trouble Fran Bentley in the City goal.

The first clear chance arrived when Hutton found space on the left following a pass from Amelie Thestrup, only for her shot to be deflected behind for a corner. From the set piece, Charlton captain Kiera Skeels rose at the back post but Bentley stood firm to keep the scores level. City broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when Emily Syme’s corner was headed across goal, allowing Sophie Ingle to divert the ball past Whitehouse and into the far corner for her fourth goal of the season. Katie Robinson then delivered a superb first time cross that was turned behind for another corner, from which Syme’s delivery was cleared off the line as the hosts began to assert control heading into the interval.

The second half started evenly, with both sides enjoying spells of possession but creating little in the way of clear cut opportunities. Syme was involved again, skipping past her marker before dragging a long range effort wide. Ella Powell then floated an excellent ball over the top for Syme, whose cross carried just too much pace to find a team mate in red.

The hosts deservedly doubled their advantage when Maria Farrugia beat her defender and pulled the ball back for Lexi Lloyd-Smith to finish neatly past Whitehouse.

Charlton pulled one back when substitute Kenney skipped past two defenders and fired beyond Bentley. The Robins then survived a late scare to claim all three points, as Charlton struck the bar twice in quick succession deep into added time.

Birmingham City returned to St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park determined to bounce back from defeat last time out and produced a dominant second half display to come from behind and secure a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United, narrowing the gap on leaders Charlton Athletic to six points. The Blues started brightly, dictating the early tempo and enjoying the better of the opening exchanges. Sheffield United defended resolutely, however, and neither side managed a breakthrough in the first ten minutes.

The visitors took the lead on 15 minutes after Blues surrendered possession in midfield. Neat interplay released Sophie O’Rourke, who finished clinically for the Blades’ first goal of the afternoon. Birmingham responded positively and almost levelled four minutes later. Following a Sheffield corner, Lily Crosthwaite broke forward before delivering into the area. The resulting clearance fell to Martha Harris, whose long range effort forced Sian Rogers into a fine stretching save.

Chances remained scarce as the half progressed, with the hosts growing frustrated in the final third. Shanade Hopcroft came closest on 35 minutes, meeting Lotta Lindström’s cross only for her header to strike the post. The Blues finally equalised five minutes before the break as Océane Hurtré surged down the right, beating three defenders before crossing into the area. The partial clearance fell to Rebecca Holloway, who picked out Crosthwaite to loop her effort into the net and restore parity.

The second half began with Blues on the front foot, and they almost took the lead on 47 minutes when a loose ball fell to substitute Wilma Leidhammar, only for Rogers to produce an excellent stop.The pressure paid off on 58 minutes as Birmingham completed the turnaround. Hurtré’s initial shot was saved, but Leidhammar reacted sharply to slot home the rebound and give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Blues continued to dominate; Veatriki Sarri went close on 63 minutes with a curling effort that looked destined for the top corner, only for Rogers to pull off another outstanding save. The keeper was called into action again on 70 minutes, tipping over Hurtré’s powerful strike after the winger cut inside.

The hosts pressed for a third late on, with Sarri winning possession before Lindström drove forward and found Hopcroft, whose shot was once more denied by the inspired Rogers. Birmingham maintained their pressure until the final whistle, securing a 2-1 win and a strong ending to the week for Merricks’ side with two victories from three in this crucial run of fixtures.

Crystal Palace and Newcastle United could not be separated at Gateshead International Stadium as the Barclays WSL2 clash between third and fourth ended in a 0-0 draw. Despite enjoying the majority of possession and chances, Palace had to settle for a point in the North East. Kirsty Howat had the best opportunity of the match for them on 74 minutes, but Newcastle goalkeeper Anna Tamminen was equal to it.

The first half was closely contested, with Palace shading the chances. The best effort came from My Cato, whose long range strike stung the gloves of Tamminen. Newcastle could have taken the lead on 28 minutes but for some strong defending from Allyson Swaby, who recovered well to clear the danger.

The second period offered few clear opportunities as both sides struggled to break down the opposition. Palace looked threatening on the flanks, with crosses from Jamie-Lee Napier and Ashleigh Weerden testing Tamminen. A frantic spell on 73 minutes saw Emily Murphy miss a good chance for Newcastle before Tamminen produced a superb double save to deny Palace at the other end.

Southampton and Durham Women played out a stalemate which culminated in a goalless draw. In a scrappy encounter of limited chances, Saints squandered a couple of opportunities but kept their hosts at bay at Maiden Castle. Fran Stenson produced a vital stop in stoppage time to preserve her side’s clean sheet, tipping over an impressive free kick by Lucy Watson under late pressure.

Durham controlled the early stages at the kick off, but Saints created the best opening on the counter. A loose pass from Tyler Toland sent Ellie Brazil clear, though her squared pass to Atlanta Primus was overhit.The hosts posed most danger from corners, coming closest when an inswinging delivery caused chaos in the area before Stenson pushed a bouncing ball around the post. Saints grew into the game and enjoyed a spell of possession, with neat interplay between Brazil and Mary Bashford on the right leading to a dangerous cross that was cleared before McGowan could connect. Primus thought she had given Saints the lead before the half hour mark, controlling a dinked pass from McAlonie and finishing smartly, only to be flagged offside.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Saints dealing well with Durham’s long balls but struggling to create notable opportunities of their own. Efforts from range by Primus, McAlonie and Aimee Palmer failed to trouble the keeper.In the closing stages. Durham pushed for a winner in their survival battle, but substitute Rachel Brown made a vital double block to deny Grace Collinson and Mollie Lambert. The pressure continued into eight minutes of added time, when Stenson produced her most important save of the afternoon, tipping Lucy Watson’s well struck free kick over the bar at full stretch.

Sunderland returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Eleanor Dale’s glancing header early in the first half proved enough to secure maximum points for the Black Cats.

Sunderland took the lead within five minutes as Dale rose highest in the six yard box to head Jessica Brown’s cross beyond Jess Gray. The visitors dominated much of the first half, with Dale and Katie Kitching forcing last-ditch interventions from the Portsmouth defence before Marissa Sheva fired wide from the rebound. Dale came close to adding a second on the half hour mark, but her header from Kitching’s corner was cleared off the line.

After the break, Dale advanced into the final third and picked out Mared Griffiths, whose shot from a tight angle was saved by Gray. Portsmouth threatened inside the final 20 minutes, but Demi Lambourne produced two crucial saves to keep the visitors at bay. In the dying moments, Lambourne remained alert with an outstanding save to ensure the Lasses claimed all three points.

Nottingham Forest beat Ipswich Town 2-0 to move within eight points of the Barclays WSL2 play-off places. Several early chances fell to Joy Omewa, but she was initially denied. One effort drifted narrowly wide, while in the 16th minute the visitors scrambled the ball clear just before she could shoot. Omewa’s persistence paid off on 28 minutes as she opened the scoring with her first goal at the City Ground, latching onto Cerys Brown’s cross just outside the six yard box and finishing past Natalia Negri.

Forest maintained pressure after the opener and came close to a second before the interval, but Ipswich held firm to keep the deficit to one at the break. The hosts offered no respite in the second half, and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah doubled the advantage within two minutes of the restart. Played in behind the defence, her excellent footwork created space for a cool finish beneath Negri.Even with a two-goal cushion. A superb block from Jessie Stapleton in the closing stages epitomised Forest’s defensive solidity as a thoroughly professional performance saw Forest rarely troubled as they secured a straightforward victory.

Leading goalscorers:

8 - Rio Hardy (Bristol City);

8 - Lexi Lloyd-Smith (Bristol City);

7 - Lily Crosthwaite (Birmingham City);

7 - Jessie Gale (Bristol City/Portsmouth);

7 - Beth Hepple (Durham Women);

7 - Abbie Larkin (Crystal Palace);

7 - Veatriki Sarri (Birmingham City);

6 - Amy Andrews (Sheffield United);

6 - Ellie Brazil (Southampton);

6 - Megan Hornby (Portsmouth);

6 - Katie Kitching (Sunderland);

6 - Emily Murphy (Newcastle United);

6 - Emily Scarr (Sunderland);

6 - Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Nottingham Forest);