Arsenal opened up a two-point gap at the top of the FAWSL when hitting Reading for six, while second-placed Birmingham City held Chelsea to a goalless draw.
Results for Sunday 21st October
FA WSL
Birmingham City 0-0 Chelsea (Att: 1,177)
Arsenal 6-0 Reading (Att: 1,586)
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-6 Manchester City (Att: 815)
West Ham United 0-1 Liverpool (Att: 1,966)
Yeovil Town 1-2 Bristol City (Att: 583)
Arsenal rampant against Reading
Arsenal made a storming start against Reading with two goals inside 7 minutes, as Vivianne Miedema heading home a Beth Mead cross and Jordan Nobbs netting after blocking Kirsty Pearce’s attempted clearance.
Fara Williams had a rare chance for the Royals but Pauline Peyraud-
Miedema further extended the lead early in the second half when sweeping home a perfect whipped cross from Katie McCabe.
Danielle van de Donk finished off some fine approach play and then Miedema completed her hat-trick.
Further frustration for Chelsea at Birmingham
It is now four goalless draws in six league games for Chelsea, after a penalty save from Ann-Katrin Berger denied them a win at Birmingham City.
Fran Kirby had a shot saved by Berger and Meghan Sargeant made a crucial block, while Beth England hit the outside of the post.
Sargeant was to thwart Kirby a couple of times more and when a spot-kick was awarded for Kerys Harrop’s tackle on Ji So-Yun, Karen Carney’s strike was saved at full stretch by Berger.
The hosts were down to ten players after Hayley Ladd’s second yellow card but still held out for the draw, as Berger tipped over a late Ji header from Carney’s free kick.
Stanway stars for Man City
Georgia Stanway featured with three goals as Manchester City came away from Brighton 5-0 winners
Stanway opened the scoring with a finish into the bottom corner and soon after Chloe Peplow dragged a good chance wide for Albion, Caroline Weir slotted home from a Nikita Parris cross.
The visitors were prevented from getting back into the game 10 minutes after the interval, Ellie Roebuck saving from Ellie Brazil and the follow up from Ini Umotong headed off the line by Steph Houghton.
Two goals in three minutes settled the matter, Stanway striking from long-range before netting again following a driving run.
In the dying minutes, Parris headed in Claire Emslie’s pinpoint delivery and then returned the favour as the latter fired home the lay off.
Liverpool fourth with win at West Ham
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk scored the only goal of the game as Liverpool defeated West Ham in front of nearly 2,000 at Rush Green Stadium.
There was only 8 minutes gone when the decisive moment arrived, Niamh Charles denied by Hammers goalkeeper Becky Spencer from Jess Clarke’s delivery but the ball fell to Sweetman-Kirk who got it over the line.
Reds’ keeper Fran Kitching tipped Leanne Kieran’s dipping effort from outside the area over the crossbar.
She was again called into action inside the last dozen minutes, to deal with a powerful Gilly Flaherty header at the expense of a corner.
A last-gasp tackle prevented Rinsola Babajide from doubling the lead and Kirsty Linnett did have the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside.
Babajide let fly from 25 yards to force a super save from Spencer but the single goal proved enough for Liverpool.
Graham brace wins Bristol the South West derby
Lucy Graham got both goals for Bristol City as they took the points 2-1 away to Yeovil Town and climbed to fifth in the table.
The Glovers’ Megan Walsh spilled Ella Rutherford’s cross and Heather Payne saw her attempt cleared off the line before there was a swift exchange of goals.
The Vixens went in front on 33 minutes from a Poppy Pattinson cross that Graham got on the end off but when the visitors failed to deal with a long ball, Amber Gaylor picked it up and put it in the bottom corner.
Bristol’s Juliette Kemppi was through on goal but put her effort over the bar and then Yeovil’s Olivia Fergusson headed goal was ruled out for offside.
Graham restored City’s lead on 73 minutes with a back-post header.
