Sunderland broke Lewes hearts in the dying minutes of a seven-goal thriller to lead a very tight Barclays Women’s Championship title race.
London City Lionesses 2-2 Durham
Sunderland 4-3 Lewes
Birmingham City 1-2 Southampton
Charlton Athletic P-P Reading (waterlogged pitch)
Crystal Palace 4-0 Blackburn Rovers
Two late goals saw Sunderland edge a seven-goal thriller with basement side Lewes. Three goals in the first 13 minutes saw Lewes score first through Lois Heuchan, Emily Scarr levelling and Brianna Westrup heading home from Sunderland from Natalie Fenton’s cross. Hollie Olding converted a penalty to make it 2-2 for the visitors with half-an-hour played. Reanna Blades rifled the Rooks 3-2 up with 17 minutes left, only for the Black Cats to turn it around again with a dramatic Jenna Dear double in added time.
The final two minutes. Pure elation. 😍
Enjoy… 🍿👇
— Sunderland AFC Women (@SAFCWomen) February 19, 2024
Crystal Palace leading a trio of teams one point behind the leaders, after putting four past Blackburn Rovers. Annabel Blanchard headed Palace into a seventh-minute lead, they also struck early in the second half from a Shanade Hopcroft corner, which Izzy Atkinson prodded over the line. The points were wrapped up late on, Alex Brooks saving Amber Hughes’ initial shot but Chloe Arthur buried the rebound. There was still time for a forth, as Araya Dennis delivered for Hopcroft to score.
That winning feel 💫#CPFC pic.twitter.com/X1gsToiqxk
— Crystal Palace F.C. Women (@cpfc_w) February 18, 2024
Southampton came from behind to win at Birmingham City, to sit third on goal-difference and ahead of morning leaders Charlton Athletic. Five minutes in, Lily Agg’s through ball found Ivana Fuso who slipped it under the keeper for a City lead. Molly Pike bent the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box, to pull the Saints level almost on half time. Katie Wilkinson had a free kick tipped onto the bar before giving Southampton a 69th-minute winner from Atlanta Primus’s cross.
Individual @mollypike01 brilliance ✨#SaintsFC Women earned a vital #BarclaysWC win against #BCFC:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) February 18, 2024
London City Lionesses were twice pegged back by Durham as the points were shared. A deflected Nicole Douglas shot had London City in front, Durham soon equalising when Amy Andrews charged down Grace Moloney’s attempted clearance to finish into an empty net. With five minutes to go, Lionesses’ Lotta Lindström found the bottom corner from the edge of the box. However, three minutes into added time, a Beth Hepple corner saw Sarah Robson net a powerful far-post header.
We never, ever give up 💙 pic.twitter.com/dyVTeyGDtQ
— Durham Women FC (@DurhamWFC) February 18, 2024
