Thursday 1st Sept
WSL1
Chelsea 2-1 Notts County (Att:892)
Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-4 Sunderland (Att: 650)
Reading 0-1 Liverpool (Att: 504)
Chelsea 2-1 Notts County
Despite another strong team showing from Notts County, they were again faced with a result they felt they did not deserve as Chelsea kept the pressure on Manchester City at the top of the table.
A reshuffle at half time by Chelsea ultimately paid dividends but it was still the Lady Pies who took the lead first, when Jo Potter fired home from the edge of the area on 63 minutes, shortly after Gemma Davison had missed a penalty for the home side.
Chelsea hit back immediately, however, with Katie Chapman (below) heading in twice on 64 and 76 minutes to seal the win.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said afterwards: “Good teams find ways to win games.”
Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-4 Sunderland
In what many viewed as an archetypal relegation ‘six-pointer’ the Belles started much the brighter and took the lead through Maz Pacheco (her first for the club) on 20 minutes. So often the goal getter herself, Sunderland forward Beth Mead turned provider in a fightback that showed a return to some of the characterful displays and ruthless finishing that saw them finish fourth last term.
Mead contributed assists on three of the Black Cats’ goals as they came from behind to register an emphatic victory.
First she teed up former Belle Tori Williams, then full back Abby Holmes (below) and in the second half after her spot kick was saved by Nicola Hobbs and Kelly McDougall volleyed in from the resulting corner, Mead then set up sub Madelaine Hill to add the fourth.
“That was the story of our season,” summed up Belles’ coach Emma Coates, her side look to have a mountain to climb to beat the drop but games against Reading remain, as does their fighting spirit.
Reading 0-1 Liverpool
Despite carving a number of decent chances and defending resilutely, Reading have yet to register a home win and were punished for their profligacy by a late Katie Zelem (pictured top) strike as Liverpool.
Laura Coombs hit the bar for the visitors in the first half and Tash Harding also tested Mary Earps in Reading’s goal as they tried to find a way through but Reading’s game plan seemed to be working, just without the finishing touches, until Zelem claimed the three points for the Reds.
Not that there was too much sympathy from Liverpool captain, Gemma Bonner, who after two titles wins, knows all about grinding out results: “I think we did deserve it,” she said.
