Liverpool pulled off a FA Women’s Continental League Cup group stage win over Manchester United, while holders Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1.
Conti Cup scores – Weds 7 October
GROUP A: Durham 5-2 Coventry United, Aston Villa 1-0 Sheffield United
GROUP B: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 London City Lionesses, Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal
GROUP C: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United, Manchester City 3-1 Everton
GROUP D: Brighton 2-2 West Ham (2-4 on pens), Reading 4-0 Charlton Athletic
GROUP E: Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Birmingham City
GROUP F: Bristol City 4-0 London Bees, Lewes 1-2 Crystal Palace
Liverpool come from behind to beat Man Utd
Goals were exchanged in a six-minute first-half spell in the afternoon kick off. Abbie McManus headed Manchester United in front after a Tobin Heath strike was deflected over the bar for a corner. Emily Ramsey did well to deny Taylor Hinds at the other end but following a handball in the box, Rachel Furness netted the penalty. Jess Clarke won Liverpool a second spot-kick in the last 20 minutes and Rinsola Babajide converted, with Furness then heading in a Missy Bo Kearns corner for 3-1.
Manchester City matched that scoreline against Vitality FA Women’s Cup Final opponents Everton, but also after coming from a goal down. Nicoline Sorensen cross set up Danielle Turner for the opener, Rose Lavelle levelling when meeting Alex Greenwood’s second-half corner. Chloe Kelly put City ahead with 14 minutes left and Jess Park made sure of the points with a stoppage-time strike.
Chelsea profit from early goal rush
Chelsea sent Arsenal to a 4-1 defeat in the meeting of last season’s finalists, following a dramatic start with four goals in 16 minutes. The Gunners’ Caitlin Foord scored from 25 yards in immediate response to Magda Eriksson’s early goal but Guro Reiten then netted a quick brace for the Blues. There was no addition to the score until Beth England’s last-minute effort.
In the same group, Surs were 4-0 winners over London City Lionesses. Ria Percival and an Alanna Kennedy free-kick had Tottenham two up in half-an-hour. Rosella Ayane and Angela Addison later added a goal each.
Hammers pick up extra point on pens
West Ham took two points to Brighton’s one after a shoot-out victory followed a 2-2 tie. The visitors scored first with an Rachel Daly tap in from Adriana Leon’s cross, but Albion turned the game round from set-pieces, as Megan Connolly nodded in a Nora Heroum free-kick and Rianna Jarrett scxrambled home the second. However, Gilly Flaherty’s deflected header drew the Hammers level late on to earn one point, Alisha Lehmann’s deciding penalty in the shoot-out gaining another.
The other Group D game saw Reading record a 4-0 result over Charlton Athletic, with three goals coming in the last quarter of the match. Jess Fishlock sent Danielle Carter through to put the Royals in front. Natasha Harding later bagging a brace and Brooke Chaplen a last-minute effort.
Hat-trick in double celebration for Hepple
Beth Hepple marked her 150th appearance for Durham with a treble in the 5-2 win over Coventry United. Although Coventry initially lead through Helen Dermody, Hepple hit back twice before the break, one from a penalty won by Sarah Wilson. Molly Sharple, Hepple and Bridget Galloway scored for the Wildcats after the interval, while Becky Anderson buried a free-kick for Unted.
Just the one goal in the other Group A game, Aston Villa edging Sheffield United with a Jodie Hutton penalty 7 minutes before the break. Jade Pennock had the ball in the net late on for the Blades but it was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Lisa Weiss.
Super-sub Baptiste strikes twice for Eagles
Bianca Baptiste scored two goals in the last 14 minutes as Crystal Palace took the points away at Lewes. Emma Jones had put the hosts ahead close to the hour mark but Baptiste go on the end of dangerous crosses to net twice, the second of those on 90 minutes.
Bristol City made a flying start against London Bees, with two goals in the first dozen minutes. A Georgia Robert own goal was added to with Chloe Logarzo’s header but it was the latter stages before Ebony Salmon and Charlie Wellings further extended the lead.
Birmingham leave it late
Blackburn Rovers held out until the last ten minutes against top-flight Birmingham City but Claudia Walker beat keeper Alex Brooks with the only goal. City’s Abbi Grant had an earlier effort disallowed, while Rovers’ Aimee Hodgson might have scored but for a timely intervention by Harriet Scott.
