Saturday May 21st
FA WSL 1 IVISION
Doncaster Rovers Belles P-P Arsenal (waterlogged pitch)
Sunday May 22nd
FA WSL 1
Birmingham City 1-0 Notts County (Att: 735)
FA WSL 2
Everton 1-1 Millwall Lionesses (Att: 317)
London Bees 2-2 Durham (Att: 161)
Oxford United 2-0 Watford (Att: 579)
Sheffield FC 3-1 Bristol City (Att: 329)
Yeovil Town 4-2 Aston Villa (Att: 711)
Birmingham City 1-0 Notts County
Birmingham moved within a point of second-placed Chelsea after a single-goal defeat of Notts County.
City were indebted to an excellent save from Sophie Baggaley and a glaring miss by Angharad James for being on level terms at the break.
The goalkeeper reacted instantly to parry a brilliantly struck Ellen White volley in the 22nd minute. Baggaley also had to scramble back to tip over an over-hit cross by Jess Clarke four minutes later.
Kerys Harrop had seen an early header cleared off the Notts line by Leanne Crichton but the visitors should have led after White pounced on a rare Jess Carter error on the half hour. The ball was teed up for James but she steered her shot wide of a near open goal.
After 51 minutes, Remi Allen pounced to run the ball into the net after Carly Telford parried a 10-yard shot from Jo Potter, the keeper’s appeal for handball being ignored.
Yeovil Town 4-2 Aston Villa
Yeovil came back from 2-0 down at the break to beat Aston Villa 4-2, as Sarah Wiltshire hit a hat-trick.
Hannah George opened the scoring for Villa with a header of a Beth Merrick set-piece and Katie Wilkinson doubled their lead on half time from a Mollie Rouse cutback, with Wiltshire hitting the woodwork inbetween.
But within seconds of the restart, Wiltshire lobbed home her first and equalised on te hour mark from a Helen Bleazard cross.
Nicola Cousins had the Glovers ahead with 15 minutes to go via a free-kick into the box and although Charlotte Haynes’ saves kept them in the lead, Wiltshire volleyed in their fourth in the penultimate minute.
Pictured – Action from Yeovil v Aston Villa.
Everton 1-1 Millwall Lionesses
Everton lost the leadership, having had to settle for a draw at home to Millwall.
Rinsola Babajide gave the Lionesses a 26th-minute lead with a rebound, after a breakaway saw Tina Maple skip a challenge in the box and see her shot parried.
Kelly Jones capped a good move to level after 56 minutes, diverting Danielle Turner’s powerful cross into the net.
A defensive mix-up let in Everton’s Simone Magill but she poked the ball wide of the goal.
Sheffield FC 3-1 Bristol City
Bristol City suffered back-to-back defeats with a 3-1 reverse at Sheffield FC, whose win was marred by a suspected broken leg sustained by Hannah Cain.
The hosts were ahead after only 3 minutes, Hannah Dale winning a penalty and Chelsea Flanagan putting it away.
Rosella Ayane got in behind the home defence to finish impressively on 33 minutes but 2 minutes before the interval, Ellie Gilliatt’s free-kick was headed in by Jodie Michalska to restore the lead.
The points were sealed on 74 minutes as Dale’s free-kick out wide left went straight into the far top corner.
London Bees 2-2 Durham
London Bees and Durham shared four goals in the noon kick-off at Northwood FC, as the visitors at least briefly joined the WSL 2 top three on 13 points.
A Paula Howells cross clipped the Durham bar but the Wildcats fell behind 2 minutes before the break, when a defensive header from Sarah Wilson bounced up and over keeper Helen Alderson.
Jordan Atkinson had a goal ruled out shortly after the restart but Durham were soon level when the hosts were penalised for handball on 54 minutes and Beth Hepple converted.
Atkinson was then denied by the post, while Alderson was called on to make a fine save from Howells.
Mercy Darkoah fired in from Tyler Dodds’ cross to put Durham ahead with 11 minutes left but 4 minutes later Jo Wilson turned in a Nicola Watts delivery to the near post.
Sarah McFadden’s effort clipped the hosts’ woodwork in the 87th minute as the score remained level at 2-2.
Oxford United 2-0 Watford
Oxford doubled their points tally by defeating Watford, who remain at the foot of the league.
It was a third straight wins and clean sheet, with Ini Umotong putting the U’s in front in the 4th minute, tapping into an empty net after Holly Pickett had charged down goalkeeper Sophie Cheadle’s attempted clearance.
Returning captain Kat Nutman added a second before the break, racing clear onto a long ball and slotting into the bottom corner.
Pictured – Rosella Ayane fires Bristol level. (Photo: Julian Barker)
