Page 5 - Women's Soccer Scene 2020/21 Issue 1

The leadership of the FA Women's Championship changed hands once
again on Sunday, with Durham Women taking over at the top after
beating Crystal Palace 2-0.
Both sides exchanged chances during the first half but on the
stroke of half time, Beth Hepple kept up her hot streak of form by giving Durham the lead by
curling home a free kick from just outside the area. After the break, Hepple almost doubled
the Wildcats' advantage when she headed a Molly Sharpe cross against the bar but she was not
to be denied midway through the half, firing in her second via another free kick from distance.
Liverpool had started the day as leaders but they were to go down to their first
defeat, 2-1 at the hands of Leicester City. The Foxes went ahead at the midway point of the
first half when Paige Bailey-Gayle drilled in from an Esmee De Graaf cross and Lachante Paul
doubled their lead early in the second half. Jess Clarke pulled one back for Liverpool two
minutes later and they pressed hard for an equaliser late on but Leicester held on for the three
points.
Sheffield Utd meanwhile moved back into the top two on the back of a 3-0 victory
away to Coventry Utd. Melissa Johnson put the Blades ahead after 25 minutes but the game
remained in the balance, with chances for both sides, until two late goals in quick succession
secured the result for Neil Redfearn's side. Katie Wilkinson put them two up with twelve
minutes remaining and barely a minute later, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk scored her first goal
for the club from close range.
Lewes meanwhile continued their good start to the season with a third successive
1-0 victory, this time at the expense of Blackburn Rovers. A game of few chances seemed
to be drifting towards a goalless draw but once again, the Rookettes were to come up with the
answer and eleven minutes from time, substitute Simran Jhamat grabbed the only goal of the
game with a neat finish after being set up by Filippa Savva.
The derby match in the capital went the Coventry Utd 0
way of London City Lionesses as they won 2-1 Sheffield Utd 3 (M.Johnson 25, Wilkinson 78,
against London Bees, who went down to their Sweetman-Kirk 79)
fifth defeat in a row. The Lionesses got off to a -
good start when Alli Murphy gave them the lead Durham Women 2 (Hepple 45,65)
from the penalty spot after four minutes, which Crystal Palace 0
they took into the break, but the Bees hit back to - Leicester City 2 (Bailey-Gayle 23, Paul 56)
level the scores in spectacular fashion just after Liverpool 1 (Clarke 58)
the hour, Georgia Robert scoring with a long -
range free kick. Four minutes later, Harley Lewes 1 (Jhamat 79)
Bennett headed the Lionesses back in front, and Blackburn Rovers 0
they saw the game out safely to record their first - London City Lionesses 2 (Murphy pen 4, Bennett 67)
league victory of the season.
London Bees 1 (Robert 63)
CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A Pts GD
DURHAM WFC 5 3 2 0 9 3 11 6
SHEFFIELD UTD 4 3 1 0 13 3 10 10 LEADING SCORERS
LIVERPOOL 5 3 1 1 11 4 10 Beth HEPPLE Durham Women 7
7
LEWES 4 3 0 1 3 3 9 Mel 0issa JOHNSON Sheffield Utd 5
LEICESTER CITY 4 2 2 0 9 7 8 Kat 2ie WILKINSON Sheffield Utd 5
CRYSTAL PALACE 5 1 2 2 9 9 5 Rachel FURNESS Liverpool 4
0
-3
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 3 1 1 1 3 6 4 Bianca BAPTISTE Crystal Palace 3
-4
LONDON CITY LIONESSES 5 1 1 3 4 8 4 Natasha FLINT Leicester City 3
BLACKBURN ROVERS 4 1 0 3 5 7 3 -2
COVENTRY UTD 4 1 0 3 4 7 3 -3
LONDON BEES 5 0 0 5 3 16 0 -13
Issue no. 1 - 15 October 2020 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk