Page 5 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.1(1) 2021-22

FA Women’s Championship

It was a tight opening day of the season in the FA Women's Championship, with
four of the five matches played producing odd-goal victories.
The only team to win by more than one goal was Blackburn Rovers,
who triumphed 2-0 over Sheffield Utd at Bamber Bridge. The scoreline at half
time was goalless but Chloe Dixon opened the scoring midway through the
second half against her former team, and Aimee Hodgson netted the second to complete a perfect
start for Rovers.
Sunderland marked their return to the second tier of women's football with a fine victory,
winning 1-0 away to Coventry Utd. The Wearsiders scored the only goal of the game on the hour
mark, Jess Brown converting following good work by
Keira Ramshaw.
The game of the day was at Crystal Palace
where the hosts edged out Bristol City in a seven-
goal thriller. City, looking to reclaim their top flight
status following relegation last season, got off to the
worst possible start when Coral-Jade Haines gave
Palace the lead from the penalty spot in the opening
minute and Charley Clifford made it two on the
quarter hour. Melissa Johnson pulled one back for
the Robins but Palace were to restore their two-goal
advantage by half time thanks to Kirsty Barton.
Haines completed her impressive start with her
second goal after the break and this proved to be the
strike which gave Palace the points, despite Simran Crystal Palace’s Leanne Cowan clears under pressure
Jhamat and Aggie Beever-Jones giving City late from Jesse Woolley of Bristol City (Will Cheshire).
hope by reducing the arrears.
Perennial promotion challengers Durham Durham Women 2 (Briggs 12, Hepple 44)
Women have started well once again, beating Watford 1 (Fyfe 59)
-
newly promoted Watford 2-1. The Wildcats went Blackburn Rovers 2 (Dixon 66, Hodgson 76)
in front after twelve minutes, Lauren Briggs scoring Sheffield Utd 0
from the rebound after Beth Hepple's shot had -
come back off the bar and Hepple then got on the Coventry Utd 0
scoresheet herself on the stroke of half time. Sunderland 1 (Brown 60)
Watford fought hard after the break and pulled a -
goal back through Flo Fyfe but Durham saw the Crystal Palace 4 (Haines pen 1,52, Clifford 14,
game out to take the three points. Barton 45)
London City Lionesses were another Bristol City 3 (Johnson 42, Jhamat 56, Beever-Jones
team to produce an excellent away victory, a 1-0 90)
success at Liverpool. An impressive display on the -
day by the Lionesses was crowned on the hour Lewes P-P Charlton Athletic
when Kenni Thompson was brought down in the - Liverpool 0
area and Rianna Jarrett slotted home the only goal London City Lionesses 1 (Jarrett pen 62)
of the game from the penalty spot.
CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A Pts GD
BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 2
CRYSTAL PALACE 1 1 0 0 4 3 3 1
DURHAM WFC 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 1 LEADING SCORERS
1
LONDON CITY LIONESSES 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Coral-Jade HAINES Crystal Palace 2
SUNDERLAND 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Kirsty BARTON Crystal Palace 1
1
-1
BRISTOL CITY 1 0 0 1 3 4 0 Aggie BEEVER-JONES Bristol City 1
WATFORD 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Lauren BRIGGS Durham Women 1
-1
-1
COVENTRY UTD 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Jessica BROWN Sunderland 1
LIVERPOOL 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Charley CLIFFORD Crystal Palace 1
-1
SHEFFIELD UTD 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 -2
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWES 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Issue no. 1 - 2 September 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk