Three WSL sides failed to take maximum points against FA Women’s Championship opposition, including Liverpool who were beaten at home by Manchester United.
Sunday 19 August
FA Continental Tyres Cup
Group 1 North
Birmingham City 0-0 Manchester City (Man City won shoot-out 5-4) (Att: 574)
Leicester City WFC 2-2 Bristol City (Leicester won shoot-out 4-2)
Group 2 North
Reading 4-1 Durham (Att: 246)
Liverpool 0-1 Manchester United (Att: 829)
Group 1 South
Chelsea 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Att: 1,095)
London Bees 1-1 Yeovil Town (Bees won shoot-out 5-3) (Att: 246)
Group 2 South
Arsenal 3-1 West Ham United
Lewes 5-0 Charlton Athletic (Att: 205)
Beattie seals second point for Man City
Birmingham City and Manchester City played out a goalless draw and the visitors added a second point by winning the penalty competition.
Stef Houghton’s free-kick for Msn City from 20-yards was well saved by Ann-Katrin Berger and calls for a penalty for Ellen White were waved away by the referee.
In the second half, White and Hayley Ladd both went close for Birmingham, while the visitors responded with Nadia Nadim forcing a good stop from Berger.
Right at the end, White intercepted a Karen Bardsley goal kick but could not find space for a shot on goal.
With the game finishing 0-0, penalties followed and Jen Beattie won the extra point for Manchester City in sudden death.
Foxes take extra penalty point against Vixens
Leicester City twice lead Tier 1 outfit Bristol City before finishing all square but the newcomers did take an extra point from the spot.
The Foxes’ Melissa Johnson scored just seconds into her debut and Freda Ayisi struck the crossbar as she also went in search of a first goal for her new club.
Bristol City levelled from the penalty spot on 55 minutes, Lucy Graham punishing the foul on Juliette Kemppi.
Julie Biesmans nearly made it 2-1 straight after but with 10 minutes left Leicester were back ahead, substitute Sophie Domingo set up to score by Ayisi.
Graham got her second for the Vixens with 5 minutes remaining, firing home at the back post off a corner, for a full-time score of 2-2.
Leicester then gained a second point by winning the shoot-out, thanks to a couple of fine Charlotte Clarke saves.
Late Man United goal beats Liverpool
Manchester United’s first ever Conti Cup tie was a success, as they got the only goal away to Liverpool in the televised game at Tranmere Rovers FC.
Liverpool had the ball in the net from Niamh Fahey but play was brought back for a foul in the build up.
Anke Pruess punched away an Alex Greenwood free kick and then thwarted Jess Sigsworth on half time.
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk’s shot was pushed wide by Siobhan Chamberlain, before Lizzie Arnot broke the deadlock with 7 minutes to go, slotting home a Greenwood cross at the far post.
Christie Murray’s free kick then struck the inside of the post but there was not to be an equaliser for the top flight side.
Williams hat-trick sees Royals beat Wildcats
Reading won the other Group 2 North tie at home to Durham
, Fara Williams featuring with a treble.
Zoe Ness forced Royals’ keeper Grace Moloney into a full-stretch first minute save but Kirsty McGee gave Reading the lead.
The hosts effectively had the game won by the 23rd minute, by which time Fara Williams had struck twice.
Abi Cottam hit the bar for the Wildcats at the start of the second half and Moloney escaped with just a caution for handball outside the box.
Cottam won a penalty which Beth Hepple put away to reduce the arrears, only for Williams to complete her hat-trick in style with a 25-yard strike.
England makes sure of Chelsea victory
Super-subs played an important part in Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Brighton.
A mix up in the Chelsea defence allowed Kayleigh Green in on goal but Hedvig Lindahl made the save.
Brighton were not so lucky when an error of their own on half time was taken advantage of by Drew Spence.
Ramona Bachmann came off the bench and had an immediate impact, with her shot parried but Fran Kirby was on hand to net the rebound on 69 minutes.
Aileen Whelan was left completely unmarked to send a thumping header home, to give Hope Powell’s side a goal back.
However, substitute Bethany England secured the win late on, heading in Jonna Andersson’s cross.
Wilson bags debut double for Bees
London Bees held Yeovil Town 1-1 and then banked an additional point on penalties.
The Bees scored first when Emma Beckett’s free kick hit the inside of the post, rolled behind the keeper and was prodded over the line by Ellie Wilson on her debut.
Yeovil’s Megan Walsh pulled off a fine save to turn Wilson’s header round the post and the visitors were level by half time, as Olivia Fergusson went one-on-one with the keeper for a debut goal.
Ruesha Littlejohn failed to score from 10 yards out for the Bees but Wilson secured the extra point with the decider in the shoot-out.
McCabe brace helps Gunners see of Hammers
Arsenal were 3-1 winners over West Ham, with Katie McCabe getting the first and last goals for the holders.
McCabe calmly finished in the 12th minutes after Jordan Nobbs’ shot was blocked.
It was 2-0 just before half-time, when Mead’s powerful header flew into the net.
West Ham then hit back when Brianna Visalli drilled home from the edge of the box after a Leanne Kiernan cut-back.
However, McCabe fired into the bottom corner from 20 yards to make the points safe for Arsenal.
Rookettes run in five goals
Lewes had the clearest margin of victory today with a 5-0 thrashing of Charlton Athletic.
Avilla Bergin converted an 11th-minute penalty but Elizabeta Ejupi hit the bar as the Addicks sought an equaliser.
Danielle Lane doubled the lead when heading in from a corner and it was 3-0 close to the interval, as Bergin was sent clear after the visitors lost possession.
Carter added two more goals for the Rookettes in the dying minutes, forcing the ball home from a corner and then completing the scoring at 5-0.
