The Barclays FA Women’s Super League left a parting gift to football fans everywhere before the international break with scintillating clashes at both ends of the table.
Manchester City and Chelsea played out an electrifying 3-3 draw while Bristol City leapfrogged opponents Birmingham City with 1-0 win.
Elsewhere Tottenham Hotspur edged past Brighton , West Ham United got the better of Liverpool in a six-goal thriller and Manchester United held on against Everton .
But who were the standout stars of the weekend?
Leah Galton – Manchester United
Everton played their first match at their new Walton Hall Park home on Sunday – but Leah Galton was determined to spoil the party.
The United winger’s first half double set the visitors on their way to a 3-2 victory which lifted them to fourth in the table, sealing a first win in three league matches in the process.
Galton’s first, scored in the 21st minute, was an emphatic finish into the roof of the net which beat Sandy MacIver at her near post.
Just eight minutes later, the 25-year-old beat Esme Morgan and this time drilled across the goalkeeper into the bottom corner to double United’s advantage.
Ella Toone added a third and the Red Devils withstood a late Everton comeback to hold on for three valuable points.
Martha Thomas – West Ham United
Like Galton, Thomas was at the double on Sunday as her West Ham side saw off Liverpool 4-2 at Rush Green.
The striker’s first goal was a classic poacher’s effort – Thomas tapping in Alisha Lehmann’s cross from six yards out to double the Hammers’ lead just before the half hour mark.
Thomas added to her tally in style seven minutes into the second half, firing into the bottom corner from outside the area after a superb backheeled turn.
Adriana Leon also netted twice for the Hammers, who were 4-0 up with an hour played before Rachel Furness bagged a late brace of her own to restore some pride for the beaten visitors.
Beth England – Chelsea
The game of the day saw the top two sides meet as Manchester City and Chelsea went head-to-head and the match certainly lived up to its billing. Six goals were shared to leave the title race tantalisingly poised.
The best of those came from a familiar source with 16 minutes to play as Chelsea’s Beth England, with seemingly nothing on, picked out the top corner with a rasping drive from 30 yards out.
England’s screamer put Chelsea 3-2 up and, though Lauren Hemp’s equaliser earned City a share of the spoils, the draw kept the Blues’ unbeaten league record intact.
Chelsea remain a point behind leaders City with a game in hand and England now sits level at the top of the WSL scoring charts after netting her 14th goal of the campaign.
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