West Ham United had to come from behind to beat Charlton Athletic, as the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup group stage got underway.
Group A:
Sheffield United 2-3 Sunderland (Att: 264)
Durham 3-2 Blackburn Rovers (Att: 623)
Eleanor Ryan-Doyle secured the three points for Durham in dramatic fashion, converting a stoppage-time penalty against Blackburn. Saoirse Noonan had scored two minutes in for the Wildcats and added a 72nd-minute penalty, with Rovers netting in-between through Helen Seed and Millie Chandarana.
Sunderland twice fought back to return from Sheffield with a 3-2 victory, goals from Ellie May and Tara Bourne responded to by Emily Scarr (penalty) and M0llie Rouse, before Emily Cassap got what proved to be the winner on 66 minutes.
Group B:
Everton 1-2 Manchester City
Leicester City 2-1 Liverpool
Manchester City won at Everton where Jess Park and Khadija Shaw scored for a 2-0 lead, before Toni Duggan headed an injury-time consolation.
Leicester lead Liverpool through an Aimee Palmer effort, until Natasha Flint equalised on half-time. But five minutes after the restart, Hannah Cain restored the Foxes’ advantage.
Group C:
Lewes 1-1 Crystal Palace (Att: 403) (Lewes won 2-0 on pens)
London City Lionesses 2-2 Watford (Watford won 7-6 on pens)
Lewes and Watford each bagged a bonus point from shoot-out victories, the Hornets’ coming through sudden-death spot-kicks, the Rooks’ due to Crystal Palace missing all their penalties.
Lewes had been on the verge of defeat to an Elise Hughes’ second-half goal, until Kate Oakley levelled five minutes into stoppage time. Emily Moore then saved three penalties to help bank a second point from the tie.
Casual Wednesday night at the Dripping Pan ❤️🖤
Amazing to have the 🎺📯🥁 back 😊 pic.twitter.com/L89buTrSQ3— Maggie Murphy (@MaggieMrphy) October 11, 2023
Watford had also grabbed a late leveller against London City, Coral-Jade Haines forcing penalties with an 87th-minute equaliser. Lois Joel and Grace Neville had the Lionesses ahead, after Annie Rossiter struck first for the visitors.
Group D:
Bristol City 1-1 Southampton (Saints won 4-3 on pens)
Tottenham Hotspur 6-0 Reading
Bristol City’s Mari Ward made the breakthrough against Southampton, whose Lexi Lloyd-Smith levelled early in the second half before her side eventually won on sudden-death penalties.
Spurs put six past Reading, first-half goals from Zhang Linyan and Kit Graham added to by Asmita Ale, Ria Percival, Jess Naz and Martha Thomas.
Group E:
Birmingham City 0-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United 2-1 Charlton Athletic
Carla Humphrey’s goal had Championship side Charlton lead at WSL side West Ham for the best part of 40 minutes. But Emma Harries got the Hammers back on level terms and Izzy Atkinson won in with 12 minutes left.
Brighton came away from Birmingham with three goals and three points, Charlie Rule, Katie Robinson and Elisabeth Terland their scorers.
