A Georgia Stanway brace saw Manchester City defeat FAWSL leaders Arsenal, while Willie Kirk made a winning debut as Everton manager in the Merseyside derby.
FAWSL results for Sunday 2nd December
Everton 2-1 Liverpool (Att: 258)
Manchester City 2-0 Arsenal (Att: 2,149)
Birmingham City 2-1 Yeovil Town (Att: 662)
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 West Ham United (Att: 376)
Chelsea 1-0 Reading (Att: 1,741)
Arsenal stumble as Stanway strikes twice
Manchester City cut the leaders advantage in half, as Arsenal failed to score for the first time and also suffered a first defeat, with Stanway scoring in either half.
Stanway had a couple of chances to open the scoring before succeeding in the 18th minute when slotting home from a Demi Stokes cross.
Katie McCabe struck the angle and Emma Mead’s 35-yard strike had to be turned over by Ellie Roebuck as Arsenal came more into the game.
They did escape going two behind before the break, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin shinning a bouncing back pass but Nikita Parris could only hook the loose ball wide.
Jen Beattie crucially blocked an effort from Vivianne Miedema as the Gunners were recreating more chances.
But they went further behind midway through the half, Keira Walsh’s long pass finding Stanway who went past two defender before curling a shot into the bottom corner.
Everton edge Liverpool
Everton secured a first victory of the season by beating Liverpool, to give Willie Kirk a winning start after the new boss joined from Manchester United in the week.
Inessa Kaagman chipped the Toffees in front from 25 yards after only 6 minutes but Jess Clarke brought the Reds back on level terms inside the first quarter of a hour, following up a fine stop by Kirstie Levell from Laura Coombs effort.
Simone Magill restored the lead 4 minutes short of the interval with a strike from 20 yards.
Leandra Little was denied a late leveller when her header hit the post from Yana Daniels’ delivery.
Ji goal sees Chelsea leapfrog Royals
Ji So-Yun’s 50th goal for Chelsea gave them a 1-0 victory over Reading, as they stepped above them into fourth spot.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the first 45, Magda Eriksson for the Blues and Reading’s Fara Williams with a first-half free-kick.
The breakthrough came from a Ramona Bachmann ball on 47 minutes, which Ji put into the bottom corner of the net from 12 yards out.
Sub Wellings seals points for City
Two second-half goals gave third-placed Birmingham City the points 2-1 at home to Yeovil Town, with the away team slipping to the foot of the table.
Lucy Staniforth went close before half-time but Megan Walsh turned her strike around the post, however, 5 minutes into the second period Staniforth beat the offside and slotted home.
Charlie Wellings came off the bench and was denied twice from long-range by Walsh before her third attempt 13 minutes from time flew in off the bar.
Emily Syme got a late consolation for the Glovers after Hannah Hanpton parried the initial shot.
West Ham win at Brighton
Jane Ross got the only goal on 64 minutes as West Ham won at Brighton to climb into mid-table.
Hammers’ keeper Anna Moorhouse kept out a powerful strike first-half strike and Albion were gifted a chance before the hour mark, as Kayleigh Green intercepted a pass but ended up shooting off target.
Ross rose to head in a cross from Julie Simic and it might have been 2-0 moments later, but Esmee De Graaf smacked a shot against the post.
