Bristol City took a point at home to Chelsea, West Ham and Reading were also goalless, Birmingham City edged Brighton and Arsenal thrashed hosts Yeovil Town in front of a four-figure crowd.
Wednesday 19 September
FA WSL
Bristol City 0-0 Chelsea (Att: 459)
Birmingham City 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (Att: 449)
West Ham United 0-0 Reading (Att: 658)
Yeovil Town 0-7 Arsenal (Att: 1,101)
Bristol City frustrate Chelsea
Bristol City goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley did much to deny visitors Chelsea a win, with the game at Stoke Gifford ending goalless.
The Vixens held the Blues to a goalless first 45 but Ramona Bachman twice went very close of the reigning champions, with one effort cannoning off the underside of the crossbar and another forcing a fine save from Sophie Baggaley.
The City custodian tipped a Fran Kirby strike over the bar 10 minutes after the interval but with 17 minutes left City had their best chance on the break, Carla Humphrey denied by Hedvig Lindhal.
Baggaley again thwarted Bachman with a finger-tip stop to turn the ball to over the top, before racing off her line to take the ball at Kirby’s feet.
The Vixens’ keeper was at her best once again to keep out Kirby’s stoppage-time strike as the hosts banked a very creditable point.
Gunners get seven against Glovers
Arsenal made it a dozen goals in their opening two league games, running in seven against Yeovil Town at Dorchester Town FC.
The Gunners got a fifth-minute lead as Kim Little found Jordan Nobbs, whose deflected strike went into the bottom corner.
Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was called upon to deny Olivia Ferguson from close range before Arsenal got their second on 20 minutes, Little’s corner turned in by Beth Mead.
Two goals were added in little more than two minutes early in the second half, with substitute Katie McCabe scoring from Nobbs back-heel and then Vivianne Miedema volleying home despite the efforts of keeper Megan Walsh.
Little squared the ball for Nobbs to net her second and Arsenal’s fifth of the evening, before Dominique Bloodworth cut inside to fire home number six and Lisa Evans cut the ball back for Miedema to volley home and double her tally.
Back-to-back wins for Birmingham
A penalty on the verge of half time was enough for Birmingham City to make it two wins from as many games, as Brighton & Hove Albion were unable ti find an equaliser.
Brighton went close to an opener just before the break with Aileen Whelan getting the ball past Ann-Katrin Berger only for Paige Williams to head it clear.
In first half added time it was City who scored, Aoife Mannion converting the penalty given for Laura Rafferty pulling back Emma Follis.
The Seagulls had the late chance of a leveller with Sophie Perry threatening but Mannion and Berger managed to clear the danger between them.
Hammers and Royals finish goalless
West Ham United’s WSL debut ended with a 0-0 home draw against Reading at Rush Green Stadium.
A long Becky Spencer clearance for West Ham saw Alisha Lehmann latch onto it and fire the ball against the near post.
Remi Allen played Brooke Chaplen through for Reading but Spencer deflected the shot clear of the crossbar.
Lehmann threatened to break into the box later in the first period but a timely Sophie Howard tackle ended the move.
After the break Chaplen’s free-kick was saved with the Hammers scrambling the loose ball out for a corner and then Gemma Davison hit the hosts’ side-netting.
Brooke Hendrix met Gilly Flaherty’s free-kick but somehow Grace Moloney kept the ball out of the Royals’ net and in the penultimate minute, a looping header from Reading sub Rebecca Jane rebounded off the post and hit Spencer before she was able to gather.
Coming up next…
Thursday 20 September – FA WSL: Everton v Manchester City (Southport FC, 7pm) – Live stream on Facebook
