London City Lionesses won late on to stay close behind Barclays Women’s Championship leaders Birmingham City, Durham won a derby clash and Portsmouth moved off the bottom.
Durham 3-1 Newcastle United
Birmingham City 2-1 Southampton
Bristol City 1-1 Charlton Athletic
London City Lionesses 1-0 Blackburn Rovers (Att: 2,027)
Portsmouth 2-1 Sunderland
Birmingham City beat Southampton 2-1 to stay top by three points but from a game more than their closest rivals.
Simone Magill’s eight-minute penalty after a handball in the box put the Blues ahead, Choe Yu-ri doubling the lead with a header from Rebecca Holloway’s cross.
Chloe Peplow replied just three minutes later from Aimee Palmer’s delivery but Saints could not find an equaliser.
Another big three points. 👏#BCFC pic.twitter.com/C8IAeXVpWb
— Birmingham City Women (@BCFCWomen) March 16, 2025
Second-placed London City Lionesses had a new record crowd but left it late to beat Blackburn Rovers in ninth spot.
With six minutes of the ninety to go, Milijana Ivanović volleyed home after Freya Godfrey beat the goalkeeper to the ball and got the cross over.
Rovers are now only a point off the bottom but with a game in hand.
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻…😉@freyagodfreyyy ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/SrumTNFpmy
— London City Lionesses (@LC_Lionesses) March 16, 2025
Charlton Athletic remained third but only on goal-difference, after drawing away to Bristol City.
City opened the scoring six minutes from half-time, Amy Rodgers meeting Lexi Lloyd-Smith’s corner and the ball going in off Ellie Brazil for an own goal.
Karen Bradley brought the Addicks level from 25 yards seven minutes after the break, to earn the visitors a point.
That goalscoring feeling 😀#BarclaysWC @CAFCWomen pic.twitter.com/vzEN1MNKjr
— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) March 16, 2025
Durham came from behind to defeat Newcastle United 3-1 and go six points ahead of them, having played two games more.
Newcastle took an early lead when Emily Murphy headed home a Beth Lumsden cross but Durham hit back three times before the half-hour mark.
Amy Claypole struck twice in a minute with a header and smart low finish both assisted by Mollie Lambert, before Beth Hepple collected a loose ball to make it 3-1.
Chelsea loanee Aimee Claypole scores her first goal for @DurhamWFC 🙌#BarclaysWC pic.twitter.com/eXYAZ1dD6k
— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) March 16, 2025
Portsmouth defeated Sunderland at Fratton Park to climb off the foot of the table at the expense of Sheffield United, who now have a game in hand.
Ava Rowbotham put Pompey one up early in the second half and turned provider four minutes later as Megan Hornby netted the second.
Katy Watson replied for Sunderland with 15 minutes to go but the home side held on and rose two places to ninth.
BACK TO BACK @BarclaysWC VICTORIES!! 🤩#Pompey pic.twitter.com/qkFIokMgD9
— Portsmouth Women (@PompeyWomen) March 16, 2025
