Reading went third in WSL 1 with five goals at Bristol City, Liverpool leapfrogged Sunderland by beating them 4-1, while Millwall came from two down to win 3-2 at London Bees.
Saturday 28th October
FA WSL 1
Bristol City 0-5 Reading (Att: 573)
Sunderland 1-4 Liverpool (Att: 429)
FA WSL 2
London Bees 2-3 Millwall Lionesses (Att: 451)
Harding hits hat-trick
Liverpool jumped up from eighth to fourth after coming from behind to win 4-1 at Sunderland, Natasha Harding getting three of their goals.
Ellie Stewart’s free-kick from distance hit the visitors’ crossbar and although Sunderland did get a spectacular goal after 10 minutes when Lucy Staniforth struck from outside the box, Harding equalised moments later.
Liverpool’s Siobhan Chamberlan made two great saves in quick succession early in the second half and her side were ahead after 57 minutes as Alex Greenwood’s wind-assisted corner flew straight in.
Within 5 minutes it was 3-1 on the break, as Caroline Weir laid the ball off for Harding to chip Rachel Laws.
Laws made a double save to deny Jess Clarke and Harding’s follow up, before turning Greenwood’s free-kick over the bar.
But in the dying minutes, Harding secured her hat-trick with a strike across goal, finding the bottom corner.
Royals roll in five at Bristol
Reading got off to a roaring start at Bristol City, with the Vixens unable to find a way back into the game.
The Royals took just 3 minutes to open the scoring, with Fara Williams breaking through on goal and smashing the ball in off the crossbar.
They were well on their way to victory after Rachel Rowe fired home following a deflected Brooke Chaplen effort and Williams broke into the box to cross for Remi Allen to tap in the third on 20 minutes.
It could have been 4-0 as early as the 31st minute, Allen winning a penalty but Chaplen put it over the top.
Bristol battled to get back into the game after the break, Lauren Hemp clean through but thwarted by Rowe’s last ditch tackle, then Millie Turner went close with a header from a Lauren Dykes corner.
However, Jade Moore netted a half-volley from just outside the box and Rowe added a fifth with a fine individual effort.
Lionesses fightback against Bees
London Bees saw their two-goal lead halved just before the break, Millwall levelling soon after the restart and then taking the lead from the spot.
Jo Wilson opened the scoring for the hosts and Emma Beckett tapped in a Paula Howells corner to double the lead after just 7 minutes.
The Lionesses were back in it on 38 minutes when Charlie Devlin curled the ball home and she got her second after the interval, volleying in from outside the box.
In the 50th minute, the Bees lost Ocean Rolandsen with a red card for handball and Ashlee Hincks converted the resulting penalty.
Rianna Dean hit the bar for Millwall and Lucy Loomes might have equalised when through one on one with Sarah Quantrill but her effort went wide.
