Manchester City seized top spot in the Women’s Super League, breezing past Bristol City 4-0 after Chelsea dropped points for the first time this season. A Magdalena Eriksson own goal gifted Reading a last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Adams Park before the reigning champions recorded a convincing victory over the struggling Vixens, who have not registered a victory since September.
Chelsea flattered to deceive for much of the first half before Remi Allen put Reading ahead after 35 minutes, slotting home her second goal of the season from close range after latching onto Fara Williams’s exquisite backheel. It was the first goal Chelsea had conceded in almost 400 minutes of WSL 1 football. Chelsea had forced Mary Earps, the Reading goalkeeper into a couple of early saves from Drew Spence and Fran Kirby but it was from a second-half dead ball that they eventually prospered. Karen Carney earned a free-kick after her quick footwork eluded Rachel Furness on the edge of the box and the England international got back up onto her feet to wrap her right boot around the ball and send a rasping effort beyond Earps. Emma Hayes, the Chelsea manager, sought a personnel change 10 minutes later, with Eni Aluko replacing Spence.
Aluko soon made the desired impact, sweeping Kirby’s low cross past Earps for her fifth goal of the season. But with almost the last kick of the game, Hayes’s side surrendered their 100% league record when Jo Potter’s deep free-kick was headed beyond the Chelsea goalkeeper Hedwig Lindahl by her own defender, Eriksson, in the second minute of added time. “This is a long season with a lot more games to be played and teams will not pick up points against Reading this season as they are a top team,” Carney said. “I think it was a great game for the neutral – a great game to watch. It was end-to-end and more like a basketball game at times.”
After making light work of LSK Kvinner in the Champions League in midweek, Manchester City blew Bristol City away with another impressive display, with Izzy Christiansen, Claire Emslie and Abbie McManus finding the net before Jennifer Beattie completed the rout. The England international Christiansen opened the scoring from 12 yards, her second penalty in four days, her third goal in a week and her seventh of the season.
Arsenal also gained ground on second-placed Chelsea with a 3-0 over Sunderland as the Gunners welcomed in a new era under manager Joe Montemurro at Meadow Park. Arsenal named the 48-year-old former Melbourne City assistant coach as Pedro Martinez Losa’s successor on Tuesday and witnessed his team pick off the visitors with three second-half goals, courtesy of Louise Quinn, Vivianne Miedema and Danielle Carter. This victory moved Arsenal to within three points of Chelsea and five off the new league leaders.
Saturday round-up
Liverpool moved up to third in WSL 1 with a 1-0 win over Birmingham City that came courtesy of Niamh Charles’ second goal the season.
Charles scored in the Reds’ opening day Merseyside derby win but this goal might even have brought her more pleasure. Gemma Bonner’s long ball over the Blues back line set Charles in the clear but with Hannah Hampton rushing out the winger had to think quickly.
Charles settled on a cool lob over the keeper and was rewarded for her quick thinking when the ball sweetly nestled in the net. It was a goal of such simplicity that it makes you question why anyone bothers with shorter passing at all.
That was to be it for the scoring. Liverpool threatened to add to their lead but were largely playing on the break as City poured forward in search of an equaliser. The away side were not without their near-misses. Charlie Wellings went close in the first half when sent clear by Freda Ayisi but the attempted lob from 25 yards went inches wide.
In the second half Ayisi went even closer, crashing a close-range effort against the bar following some nice work in the buildup from Wellings and Rachel Williams. That was as good as it got for the Blues who could not prevent Liverpool leapfrogging Arsenal and Reading before Sunday’s round of fixtures.
Earlier in the day, Everton secured their first three points since this season’s return to the top flight with a 2-0 win at Yeovil.
On Friday Yeovil announced their intentions to go professional next season in order to stay in the restructured Women’s Super League but for Toffees captain Danielle Taylor her focus was only on going to Huish Park “get our first win in the league”.
The travelling side did not have to wait long to assume the ascendancy. After just 17 minutes Courtney Sweetman-Kirk raced on to Faye Bryson’s through ball and lifted a lovely finish past Glovers keeper Megan Walsh.
Sadly for Everton, Sweetman-Kirk was not as sharp when presented with a chance to get a second six minutes later. This time Walsh did enough to put off the striker, whose effort drifted wide. Andy Spence’s side then survived a scare on the half hour, as an unmarked Ella Pusey inexplicably headed Ellie Curson’s cross wide.
Given Yeovil were yet to score in their four previous WSL 1 fixtures, a second would surely be enough for Everton to earn victory and Chloe Kelly got the golden opportunity when Nicola Cousins felled Sweetman-Kirk in the box. Kelly held her nerve and her teammates kept their composure to see out the victory.
Post-match, Kelly said Everton’s win showed they deserved to be back in the top flight: “We’ve been having good performances but not the points on the board. I think in this game we got the early goal and proved that we deserve to be in this league. I think we showed that on the pitch.”
