Burnley held by West Brom Women, Newcastle go further clear

Stourbridge v Newcastle United, FA Women's National League
Stourbridge pressure Newcastle United. (Photo: Colin Lock)

West Brom hold FA Women’s National League Northern Premier title hopefuls Burnley, as Newcastle United go marching on at the top.

NORTHERN PREMIER DIVISION

AFC Fylde 1-2 Stoke City
Derby County 3-3 Halifax (Att: 158)
Huddersfield Town P-P Liverpool Feds
Stourbridge 0-3 Newcastle United (Att: 272)
West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Burnley
Wolverhampton Wanderers P-P Nottingham Forest

Newcastle United strengthened their position at the top as Georgia Gibson scored twice in their 3-0 win at Stourbridge, while title rivals Burnley were held by West Brom. Phoebe Warner gave the Baggies an interval lead at the Hawthorns but the Clarets rescued a point with Aimee Kellys’ equaliser.

Derby had to settle for a point despite Marli Rhodes-Andrews’ hat-trick, as Halifax came back from 2-0 and 3-2 down to draw. Stoke City debutant Mia Leath grabbed a late goal to bring a 2-1 victory at lowly Fylde.

AFC Fylde v Stoke City, FA Women's National League
AFC Fylde put their bodies on the line against Stoke City. (Photo: John Shirras)

SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION

Cardiff City LFC 2-1 Plymouth Argyle (Att: 90)
Hashtag United 3-0 Oxford United (Att: 67)
London Bees 3-6 Cheltenham Town (Att: 51)
Portsmouth 4-2 Ipswich Town (Att: 703)
Rugby Borough 4-2 Billericay Town (Att: 112)
Chatham Town 1-2 Milton Keynes Dons (Att: 102)

The top three all won, including leaders Portsmouth who saw off Ipswich 4-2, aided by two goals from Georgie Freeland. Rugby beat Billericay by the same scoreline with Lily Greenslade netting twice for Borough, second-placed Hashtag United saw off Oxford United 3-0.

Tia Asker grabbed a stoppage-time winner for Cardiff City Ladies against Plymouth, Cheltenham led 5-3 away to London Bees at half time before eventually winning 6-3 to pick up their first points of 2024, while Amy McLean struck late on as MK Dons took all three points at winless Chatham.

DIVISION 1 MIDLANDS

Lincoln City 2-2 Sutton Coldfield Town
Loughborough Lightning 4-1 Leafield Athletic (Att: 67)
Northampton Town 1-2 Sporting Khalsa
Sheffield FC 2-5 Peterborough United
Solihull Moors 0-2 Notts County (Att: 33)
Leek Town 0-0 Boldmere St Michaels (Att: 61)

Loughborough Lightning’s 4-1 defeat of Leafield put them two points clear, as Leek held Boldmere to a goalless draw and Sporting Khalsa went second with a good 2-1 result at Northampton.

Peterborough scored five first-half goals in a 5-2 win at Sheffield FC, Notts County improved their hopes of staying up with a 2-0 success at Solihull. 

Loughborough Lightning v Leafield Athletic, FA Women's National League
Loughborough Lightning score during their win over Leafield Athletic. (Photo: Andy Smith)

DIVISION 1 NORTH

Chester le Street Town P-P Chorley
Durham Cestria 1-0 York City (Att: 55)
Leeds United P-P Hull City
Middlesbrough 5-0 Doncaster Rovers Belles (Att: 1,651)
Norton & Stockton Ancients 0-3 Barnsley WFC (Att: 56)
Stockport County 3-0 FC United Of Manchester (Att: 737)

Middlesbrough remain a point ahead of Durham Cestria who only narrowly beat relegation-threatened York City, Barnsley WFC are up to third after winning at Norton. Stockport rose to fifth when seeing defeating FC United.

DIVISION 1 SOUTH EAST

AFC Sudbury 1-4 Actonians
Chesham United 6-5 Ashford Town (Att: 42)
London Seaward P-P AFC Wimbledon
Norwich City 1-1 Worthing (Att: 249)
Queens Park Rangers 3-0 Cambridge United (Att: 531)

Second were held at home by third as Norwich City drew with Worthing, QPR won at Loftus Road, Actonians are sixth following victory at Sudbury, Chesham edged an eleven-goal thriller with Ashford but had been 5-1 up at the break.

DIVISION 1 SOUTH WEST

AFC Bournemouth 6-0 Abingdon United (Att: 94)
Bridgwater United 2-1 Swindon Town
Exeter City 5-0 Maidenhead United (Att: 2,660)
Keynsham Town 2-1 Moneyfields (Att: 52)
Selsey 0-3 Torquay United (Att: 50)
Southampton Women 3-2 Portishead Town

Exeter and Bournemouth got five and six goals respectively to continue their unbeaten records, Bridgwater beat third-placed Swindon, Keynsham took down fifth-in-the-table Moneyfields. Southampton Women and Torquay both won in their battle to stay up.

Spurs into Adobe Women’s FA Cup semi-finals on penalties

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