Sunday 16th April
FAWSL 2 SPRING SERIES
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Watford (Att: 283)
Doncaster Rovers Belles 2-1 Durham (Att: 554)
Everton 3-0 Aston Villa (Att: 344)
Rinsola Babajide on the ball for Watford. (@aw_images)
Seagulls Seal First Ever WSL Victory
Newcomers Brighton held off a fightback from basement side Watford to bank all three points.
Albion struck just 6 minutes in when Alessia Russo headed in Sophie Perry’s free-kick and on 33 minutes it was 2-0 as a deflection fell to Bronwen Thomas, who drilled her shot into the bottom corner.
Five minutes into the second half, Merrick Will capitalised on a loose back-pass by firing Watford back into the match.
The Golden Girls came close to an equaliser in the last 10 minutes, as first Rinsola Babajide forced a fine save from Emma Byrne and then Anneka Nuttall had a header cleared off the line.
Doncaster Defeat Leaders Durham
Doncaster Rovers Belles are playing catch-up with their fixtures but have now won their first two after a late winner against previously unbeaten Durham.
The opening goal came on 20 minutes with Rebecca Rayner delivering the cross for Christie Murray to control and finish.
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk also had the ball in the net before half-time but was called back for offside.
Nicky Davies tipped a cross away from the Wildcats’ Nicki Gears but on 62 minutes they did level via a corner, the Belles keeper getting to Becky Salicki’s header but it still went in off the unfortunate Leandra Little
Emily Roberts was denied by Davies as she threatened to score against her former team but with 2 minutes left, Sweetman-Kirk headed home the winner at the back post from Murray’s flag-kick.
Everton’s Danielle Turner. (The FA via Getty Images)
Everton Close In On Top Two
Everton’s three goals against Aston Villa made it as many wins in four, as they leapfrogged their visitors to move within a point of the leading pair.
Villa keeper Chloe Beattie made two good saves to deny Michelle Hinnigan and Mollie Green, before Simone Magill got the breakthrough with a long-range volley in the 38th minute.
After the restart, Hinnigan and Green again went close before Everton doubled the advantage through Walker’s attempt from the right wing, which sailed into the top corner.
Faye Bryson was thrown on with 20 minutes left and she made an immediate impact, scoring with a drive from outside the box which arrowed inside the near post, leaving Beattie beaten.
Pictured top – Action from Doncaster v Durham (Susan Gutteridge)
