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Grassroots football charity Bloomsbury football are offering free places for all girls on their summer camps. Bloomsbury football turning historic moment into a legacy Thursday, 4 August 2022 Bloomsbury Football Grassroots football charity Bloomsbury football are offering free places for all girls on their summer camps. Girls on the Ball On Sunday 31st July 2022, the Lionesses made history by taking home the UEFA Women’s Euros 2022. This is a huge win not just for the team but for women’s football in general. The FA has committed to ensuring that this summer of football has a long-lasting impact on the girls’ and women’s game. The award-winning grassroots football charity, Bloomsbury Football, will turn this moment into a legacy by offering free places to all girls on their summer camps. Bloomsbury Football was launched in 2018, and now works with over 5,000 young people in London per week. Its mission is based on the belief in the life-changing power of football. Their high-quality football sessions with qualified coaches are accessible to all, regardless of ability to pay or play, and are proven to boost mental and physical health, build stronger communities and teach life skills. “Bloomsbury exists to change the game for young people in London, removing traditional barriers to participation. This is such an exciting time for the women’s game, and I am so proud that we are leading the way in turning this historic moment into a legacy. Having all girls play for free this summer means that we are getting more girls involved and showing them that their place is on the pitch” - Charlie Hyman, Founder and CEO of Bloomsbury Football. Bloomsbury Football are committed to getting more girls on the pitch, and have mixed football sessions along with girls’ teams on both their Foundation (open access) and Academy (elite players) programmes. Alongside this comprehensive football offering, Bloomsbury Football have partnered with sustainable period care company, Freda, to offer free period care products to all players who need them, and are running period workshops for players, coaches and parents with triple Olympian athlete, Hannah Miley MBE. This year and beyond, Bloomsbury Football will track the progress of the girls on their teams and be there for all the girls taking their first steps onto the pitch. To hear more about Bloomsbury Football’s girls, please see Ava’s story here and read this Guardian article featuring our Academy Manager, Josh Arnold. “Bloomsbury Football is like a second family to me. The coaches make me feel like I can do anything, and I have learned so many new skills. Playing on a team with girls from so many backgrounds has made me more confident, and I have levelled up my skills on and off the pitch” - Bloomsbury player on girls’ team. If you are interested in featuring Bloomsbury Football or would like to visit a holiday camp or training session, please contact Bloomsbury’s Marketing Manager, Isabelle, at i.chauzy@bloomsburyfootball.com .

Birmingham City pull of momentous win over league leaders Arsenal Back Match Report WSL: Birmingham City 2-0 Arsenal Birmingham City pull of momentous win over league leaders Arsenal via Sky Sports 9 January 2022 By Charlotte Stacey Birmingham City named almost a full squad for their opening home match of 2022, missing goalkeeper Marie Hourihan. Emily Ramsey took stock between the sticks for this game. Arsenal were without Lydia Williams, Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord who will be participating in the Asian Cup, as well as Nikita Parris who was not named in the matchday squad. Leah Williamson was absent through injury. Arsenal’s typical high line got them into trouble very early on, as the home side, rather unexpectedly, put themselves ahead just three minutes in through an effort from 20-year-old Libby Smith. After tussling the ball from Vivianne Miedema, from her own half Lucy Quinn slipped a through ball between the highly placed duo of Simone Boye and Jen Beattie. Gathered by Smith, the youngster drove forward to take on Manuela Zinsberger and calmly took her shot, beating Austria’s number one. Possibly even more surprising was Arsenal’s lack of response, which ultimately allowed Birmingham the opportunity to score a second just before the half time whistle. Once again stemmed from the midfield, Veatriki Sarri darted forward in possession before passing it out the right to Jamie Finn. Finn put in a decent delivery which bounced off of Smith to fall the feet of Sarri, who had continued her run through the middle. Sarri cleverly opened up her body to decoy Zinsberger and sank her effort in the top left corner. Two nil up, and certainly the most comfortable of the two sides, Birmingham still had an arduous task ahead of them to maintain such presence. Arsenal have the capability to turn a game on its head and once the floodgates open, they are difficult to close. But the Gunners did no such thing. Almost entirely uncharacteristically, Arsenal created next to nothing in the second half. Poor free-kicks from Katie McCabe and Beth Mead and a booking for dissent for Miedema just about sums up the Gunners’ afternoon. This is all credit to Birmingham. What the Bluenoses did exceptionally well was to stifle any sort of accurate positive play. Consistently, as Arsenal gathered possession in the middle third, the Bluenoses immediately cut off forward passages of play through tight and compact marking, thus forcing wayward passes and hot-pot shots from the Gunners. In fact, Birmingham did this so well in the first half that Arsenal only registered one shot on target. Particularly the efforts of Jade Pennock and Sarri made the workings of Arsenal’s midfield extremely difficult. Their relentless pressure meant the likes of Jordan Nobbs, Mana Iwabuchi and Frida Maanum simply could not find any space or rhythm. The same can be said for centre back Louise Quinn who was the first to any ball that infiltrated her box. Birmingham also excelled in possession. Although Arsenal saw more of the ball, Birmingham showed far more quality and ambition here. An example of this could easily be seen in the second half when Birmingham countered after Kim Little’s shot was blocked by Gemma Lawley. Unpanicked, Birmingham gained hold of the ball and drove forward directly, making good use of the transition whilst Arsenal were out of shape. In doing this, the Bluenoses forced a 3v3 situation with Arsenal’s trio having to backpedal in order to offer any sort of defence. Although this play did not result in a goal, it clearly shows the divide between a determined Birmingham and a sluggish Arsenal. The Gunners really did not generate anything in terms of creation. They made little use of their wings and their lack of width played into Birmingham’s hands allowing them to pack out central areas. When Arsenal did stretch play horizontally, the deliveries they mustered were lacklustre with little direction. Similarly, at times when they managed to find any joy around Birmingham’s area, play often remained negative and Arsenal either passed it back or ran it into opponents, a far cry from the quick firing, positively driven style of play Jonas Eidevall has set out to impose. Undoubtably a deserved win for Birmingham and one that should gift them confidence in this second half of the season. For Arsenal, a stark wake-up call to remind them they cannot sleepwalk through any game. Quite the match for all, one that has shaken up both ends of the table.

Steph Houghton Position Centre Back D.O.B 23/04/1988 Club Manchester City Naomi Baker

Check out our full guide to the Lionesses Euro's 2025 campaign Lionesses: Euro 2025 Guide Back Check out our full guide to the Lionesses Euro's 2025 campaign via Sky Sports News Saturday, 5 July 2025 By Paul Donegan England will be looking to defend their European title at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland! The build-up for the holders hasn’t been smooth with key players being injured, Mary Earps and Fran Kirby retiring from international football whilst Millie Bright made herself unavailable for selection for the squad, and there have been inconsistent results on the pitch! The Lionesses are in a tough group alongside France, Netherlands and Wales and will need to play at their best to get through to the knockout stages. Here is our guide and preview for England at Euro 2025. History in Euros England go into the Euros as current champions having beaten Germany 2-1 at Wembley Stadium in 2022 thanks to Chloe Kelly’s extra time winning goal. The Lionesses have also been runners-up twice in 1984 and 2009 and reached the semi-finals in 1995 and 2017. How they qualified The Lionesses qualified automatically for the finals after finishing as runners-up in their group behind France, who they also play in the group stage in Switzerland. Also in the group were Sweden and the Republic of Ireland. England won 3, drew 2 and lost 1 whilst qualifying. England 1 – 1 Sweden (Russo) Republic of Ireland 0 – 2 England (James, Greenwood) England 1 – 2 France (Mead) France 1 – 2 England (Stanway, Russo) England 2 – 1 Republic of Ireland (Russo, Stanway) Sweden 0 – 0 England Squad Head coach – Sarina Wiegman 1 – Hannah Hampton – Chelsea – Goalkeeper (16 caps) 2 – Lucy Bronze – Chelsea – Defender (139 caps, 19 goals) 3 – Niamh Charles – Chelsea – Defender (24 caps) 4 – Keira Walsh – Chelsea – Midfielder (87 caps, 1 goal) 5 – Alex Greenwood – Manchester City – Defender (99 caps, 7 goals) 6 – Leah Willamson – Arsenal – Defender (58 caps, 5 goals) 7 – Lauren James – Chelsea – Forward (28 caps, 7 goals) 8 – Georgia Stanway – Bayern Munich – Midfielder (78 caps, 22 goals) 9 – Beth Mead – Arsenal – Forward (68 caps, 36 goals) 10 – Ella Toone – Manchester United – Midfielder (59 caps, 21 goals) 11 – Lauren Hemp – Manchester City – Forward (64 caps, 18 goals) 12 – Maya Le Tissier – Manchester United – Defender (8 caps) 13 – Anna Moorhouse –Orlando Pride – Goalkeeper (0 caps) 14 – Grace Clinton – Manchester United – Midfielder (11 caps, 3 goals) 15 – Esme Morgan – Washington Spirit – Defender (14 caps) 16 – Jess Carter – Gotham FC – Defender (45 caps, 2 goals) 17 – Michelle Agyemang – Arsenal – Forward (1 cap, 1 goal) 18 – Chloe Kelly – Arsenal – Forward (53 caps, 8 goals) 19 – Aggie Beever-Jones – Chelsea – Forward (8 caps, 5 goals) 20 – Jess Park – Manchester City – Midfielder (19 caps, 3 goals) 21 – Khiara Keating – Manchester City – Goalkeeper (0 caps) 22 – Lotte Wubben-Moy – Arsenal – Defender (13 caps, 1 goal) 23 – Alessia Russo – Arsenal – Forward (51 caps, 23 goals) Head coach Sarina Wiegman will be looking to make it three Euros titles in a row after winning in 2017 with the Netherlands and in 2022 with England. Wiegman’s squad includes six players who won the English domestic treble with Chelsea and five of Arsenal’s UEFA Women’s Champions League winners. With Earps retirement, Hannah Hampton is now clear number one in goal. Anna Moorhouse and Khiara Keating are the two other goalkeepers in the squad but both haven’t made an international appearance yet. In defence, Lucy Bronze looks to certain start at right-back with captain Leah Williamson and Alex Greenwood in the centre. The left-back position looks to be between Jess Carter, who impressed in the friendly against Jamaica, and Niamh Charles. The other defenders in the squad are Maya Le Tissier, Esme Morgan and Lotte Wubben-Moy. There is a bit of versatility in which positions across the back some of these players can play. Keira Walsh looked likely to start in the defensive midfield role with Georgia Stanway in front of her. Ella Toone started in the number 10 role against Jamaica and scored twice whilst Lauren James, who is coming back from injury and whose minutes could be managed, could also play there or in the wide attacking positions. Alternatives in the midfield roles are Grace Clinton and Jess Park. Others that will be competing for starting spots in the wide attacking positions as well as James are Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp. Alessia Russo looks like she has cemented her position up front with Aggie Beever-Jones and Michelle Agyemang, who is a bit of a wildcard in the squad after scoring 41 seconds into her senior debut against Belgium, as alternatives in that role. Form England go into the Euros in mixed form. In 2025, they have beaten world champions Spain 1-0 at Wembley Stadium but also lost 3-2 away to Belgium. In their final warm-up game, the Lionesses beat Jamaica 7-0 with Ella Toone scoring twice and Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Alessia Russo, Aggie Beever-Jones and Beth Mead also found the net. Results in 2025 Portugal 1 – 1 England (Russo) England 1 – 0 Spain (Park) England 5 – 0 Belgium (Bronze, Bright, Beever-Jones, Park, Walsh) Belgium 3 – 2 England (Mead, Agyemang) England 6 – 0 Portugal (Beever-Jones (3), Bronze, Mead, Kelly) Spain 2 – 1 England (Russo) England 7 - 0 Jamaica (Toone (2), Bronze, Stanway, Russo, Beever-Jones, Mead) Group Opponents England go into the Euros 5th in the world ranking. Their first opponents in the group are France. They are currently ranked 10th in the world. Their best performance at the Euros was reaching the semi-finals in 2022. France go into the tournament in really good form having won 8 out of 8 matches in 2025. In their two warm-up games, they beat Belgium 5-0 and Brazil 3-2. The Netherlands are the Lionesses second opponents. They are 11th in the world rankings at the moment. They won the Euros in 2017 on home soil with Wiegman in charge of them. They beat Finland 2-1 in their warm-up match but their form, like England, has been a little inconsistent this year. Wales will be making their first appearance in the Euros. They are the lowest ranked side in the tournament currently being 30th in the world. They didn’t have any warm-up friendlies with their last matches being defeats to Denmark and Italy a month ago. They have drawn twice with Sweden (ranked 6th in the world) this year though. Group games Saturday 5th July France v England - Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich (8pm BST) - Live on ITV1 Wednesday 9th July England v Netherlands - Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich (5pm BST) - Live on BBC One Sunday 13th July England v Wales - Arena St. Gallen, St. Gallen (8pm BST) - Live on ITV1 Where to watch and listen All Euro 2025 games will be shown live on the BBC and ITV in the UK. Check TV guides to see what is on where. BBC Radio will be coving lots of the games during the tournament as will talkSport if you want to listen to the matches (check their schedules).

All you need to know about each team in the second division Women's Championship Returns Sunday, 8 September 2024 By Paul Donegan All you need to know about each team in the second division Charlotte Stacey The 2024/25 Women’s Championship season gets underway on today! It has a lot to live up to after last season’s close title race when five sides were still in with a chance of winning it going into the final weeks. Crystal Palace finished as champions and promotion to the Women’s Super League whilst Lewes and Watford were relegated into the FA Women’s National League. After one season in the WSL, Bristol City dropped back down to the Championship with Newcastle United and Portsmouth coming up into the second tier for the first time after winning the National League Premier Divisions. Reading announced their resignation from the league at the end of June meaning there will only be 11 sides in the Championship this season with one promotion and one relegation place. Here is information about all 11 sides in the league including where they play, links for tickets, social media accounts, and all the comings and goings during the summer (correct as of 7pm BST Friday 6th September 2024). Birmingham City Ground – St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, B9 4RL Tickets – Event Tickets List - Online ticket office ( eticketing.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @BCFCWomen Instagram/Threads - bcfcwomen Manager – Amy Merricks Last season – 5th Women’s Championship Players joined – Ava Baker (Leicester City), Rebecca McKenna (Charlton Athletic), Tegan McGowan (Charlton Athletic), Simone Magill (Aston Villa), Ashanti Akpan (Chelsea – loan) Players left – Jade Moore (Tampa Bay), Claudia Walker (Burnley), Abi Cowie (Leafield Athletic), Georgia Ferguson (Nottingham Forest), Lucy Jones (Derby County), Abbi Jenner (Wolverhampton Wanderers – loan), Katie Dungate (Nottingham Forest – loan), Layla Banaras (Wolverhampton Wanderers -dual registration) Since being relegated from the WSL in 2022, Birmingham have finished 2nd and 5th in their two seasons in the Championship and will be looking to challenge at the top end of the table again. Amy Merricks was appointed head coach in April and amongst her summer signings are Rebecca McKenna and Tegan McGowan from last season’s runners-up Charlton and Northern Ireland international forward Simone Magill. Blackburn Rovers Ground – Ewood Park, BB2 4JF Tickets – Event Tickets List - eTickets ( eticketing.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @RoversWFC Instagram/Threads - roverswfc Manager – Simon Parker Last season – 6th Women’s Championship Players joined – Jemima Dahou (Manchester City), Ellie Noble (Crystal Palace), Hannah Luke (Creighton University), Maria Edwards (SGS Essen), Ellie Hack (Lewes), Eve Clarkson (Lewes), Grace Riglar (Lewes), Poppy Soper (Charlton Athletic), Rachel Dugdale (Reading) Players left – Evie Smith (Liverpool Feds), Danielle Maxwell (Cliftonville), Nicola Worthington (Chorley), Shanell Salgado, Helen Seed (Burnley), Milly Robertson, Lauren Thomas, Faith Nokuthula, Megan Hornby (Portsmouth), Lucy Shepherd (Dallas Trinity), Hannah Coan (Portsmouth), Emma Doyle (Burnley), Millie Chandarana (Nottingham Forest), Katie Bradley (Charlton Athletic), Jade Richards (Burnley) Blackburn had an impressive season last time around when all sorts of club records were broken including their best league finish, highest number of points and most goals scored in the Championship. Simon Parker’s side has seen a big turnover in players over the summer with 15 leaving and nine joining. Rovers will be playing all their league games at Ewood Park after some good attendances last season. Bristol City Ground – Ashton Gate Stadium, BS3 2EJ Tickets - Buy Tickets: Bristol Sport Ticketing ( bristol-sport.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @bristolcitywfc Instagram/Threads - bristolcitywomensfc Manager – Loren Dykes (Interim Head Coach) Last season – 12th Women’s Super League (relegated) Players joined – Lexi Lloyd-Smith (Southampton), Harley Bennett (Watford), Jacqui Burns (Reading), Greta Humphries (Chelsea – loan), Libby Bance (Brighton & Hove Albion – loan), Maddy Earl (Arsenal – dual registration) Players left – Rachel Furness (Newcastle United), Sarah Stratigakis (AS Saint-Etienne), Maddi Wilde (London City Lionesses), Lisa Evans (Glasgow City), Shania Hayles (Newcastle United), Liv Clark (FC Twente), Shae Yanez (Crystal Palace), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Satara Murray (Sheffield United), Naomi Layzell (Manchester City), Carrie Jones (IFK Norrkoping) After winning the 2022/23 Championship, Bristol City had a disappointing season in the WSL, managing to win only one game and failing to pick up any points at home. Lauren Smith resigned as manager in late August with Loren Dykes now in interim charge until a new permanent manager is appointed. 11 players have left the Robins over the summer with only six coming in so far. Charlton Athletic Ground – The Valley, SE7 8BL Tickets – Buy Tickets: Charlton Athletic Ticketing ( cafc.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @CAFCWomen Instagram - cafcwomen Manager – Karen Hills Last season – 2nd Women’s Championship Players joined – Katie Bradley (Blackburn Rovers), Gracie Pearse (Tottenham Hotspur), Mel Filis (West Ham United), Jodie Hutton (Sheffield United), Charlotte Newsham (Sheffield United), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes), Ellie Brazil (Tottenham Hotspur), Princess Ademiluyi (West Ham United – loan) Players left – Angela Addison (Ipswich Town), Freda Ayisi (Hashtag United), Heidi Logan (Burnley), Kate Longhurst (Nottingham Forest), Sian Rogers (Sheffield United), Ella Rutherford (Ipswich Town), Poppy Soper (Blackburn Rovers), Rebecca McKenna (Birmingham City), Tegan McGowan (Birmingham City), Melissa Johnson (Nottingham Forest) The Addicks have made steady progress over the last couple of years and Karen Hills side missed out on the title by one-point last season. They may have lost a few players over the summer but the likes of Sophie Whitehouse and Ellie Brazil have joined Charlton. They will be playing all their home league games at The Valley this term, where their home form will have to improve a bit if they hope to go one better and win the Championship. Durham Ground – Maiden Castle Sports Park, DH1 3SE Tickets – TicketCo - Events Durham Women FC Social Media – X (Twitter) - @DurhamWFC Instagram/Threads - durhamwfc Manager – Lee Sanders Last season – 9th Women’s Championship Players joined – Abbi Grant (Panathinaikos), Hannah Blake (Adelaide United), Carly Johns (Watford), Kalia Novak (UCLA) Players left – Amy Andrews (Newcastle United), Ellie Christon (AP Orlen Gdansk), Naoisha McAloon (Burnley), Saoirse Noonan (Celtic) As an independent club, Durham maybe don’t have the same resources as some but manage to keep themselves safe in the Championship each season. Many long serving players have resigned for another season with the Wildcats including Sarah Wilson and Beth Hepple. New Zealand international Hannah Blake and former Watford striker Carly Johns, who scored eight goals in the league last season, are amongst those joining. London City Lionesses Ground – Hayes Lane, BR2 9EF Tickets – Event Tickets List - eTickets ( eticketing.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @LC_Lionesses Instagram/Threads - londoncitylionesses Manager – Jocelyn Precheur Last season – 8th Women’s Championship Players joined – Kosovare Asllani (AC Milan), Amelia Ajao (Chelsea), Maddi Wilde (Bristol City), Gesa Marashi (Arsenal), Charlene Meyong (Stade de Reims), Miljana Ivanovic (LSK Kvinner), Shen Mengyu (Celtic), Julia Roddar (Hammarby IF), Emily Orman (Chelsea), Isobel Goodwin (Sheffield United), Teyah Goldie (Arsenal – loan), Cerys Brown (Chelsea – loan) Players left – Paige Culver (retired), Tinaya Alexander, Jade Bailey, Leanne Cowan (Sheffield United), Nicole Douglas, Izzy Groves, Lois Joel (Newcastle United), Sonia O’Neill, Paige Satchell, Niamh Farrelly (Peamount United) At a press conference at the end of June, owner Michele Kang announced that Jocelyn Precheur will be the Prides new manager, the signing of Swedish international Kosovare Asllani and a move to play at Bromley FC’s Hayes Lane ground. The signings of further internationals, Isobel Goodwin from Sheffield United on the eve of the season and some youngsters from WSL sides should see London City looking to challenge for the title this season. Newcastle United Ground – Kingston Park Stadium, NE13 8AF (Clubs main ground – St James’ Park, NE1 4ST) Tickets – Buy Tickets: Newcastle United Ticketing Social Media – X (Twitter) - @NUFCWomen Instagram – newcastleunitedwomen Manager – Rebecca Langley Last season – 1st FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division (promoted) Players joined – Shania Hayles (Bristol City), Amy Andrews (Durham), Deanna Cooper (Reading), Claudia Moan (Sunderland), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Rachel Furness (Bristol City), Sophie Haywood (Sheffield United), Lois Joel (London City Lionesses), Isabella Sibley (Crystal Palace – loan) Players left – Paige Bailey-Gayle (SC Sand), Naomi Bedeau (Nottingham Forest), Grace Boyes (Middlesbrough), Tyler Dodds, Bridget Galloway (Nottingham Forest), Cara Milne-Redhead (retired), Erin Nelson (Stoke City), Keira Skelton (Middlesbrough), Anna Soulsby (Durham Cestria), Sharna Wilkinson (Middlesbrough), Lilie Wood (Mid-Ulster), Nicki Gears (Durham Cestria), Daisy Burt (Derby County – loan) Following promotion from the FA Women’s National League, Newcastle have been busy in the transfer market including signing 2022 Euro’s winner with the Lionesses, Demi Stokes. Others joining have experience of playing in, and winning, the Championship such as Shania Hayles, Isabella Sibley and Claudia Moan. After two successive promotions, the Magpies will be looking to challenge to make it three in a row. Portsmouth Ground – Westleigh Park, PO9 5TH (Clubs main ground – Fratton Park, PO4 8RA) Tickets – Event Tickets List | Portsmouth Football Club - eTickets ( eticketing.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @PompeyWomen Instagram - pompeywomen Manager – Jay Sadler Last season – 1st FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division (promoted) Players joined – Sophie Barker (Sheffield United), Hannah Coan (Blackburn Rovers), Megan Hornby (Blackburn Rovers), Erin McLaughlin (Peamount United), Annie Hutchings (Manchester City), Eve Annets (Manchester City – loan) Players left – Kelci Bowers (AFC Bournemouth), Leeta Rutherford (AFC Wimbledon), Evie Gane (Fulham), Tierney Scott (Worthing), Dani Lane (Worthing), Jess Smith, Mia Adaway (Lewes), Ella Wild, Ali Hall (AFC Bournemouth), Mia Smith (Cheltenham Town) Portsmouth have signed a few players with Championship experience for their first season at this level such as Sophie Barker, Hannah Coan and Megan Hornby. Many of last season’s FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division winners have also resigned after Pompey turned professional during the summer. Jay Sadler’s side will now be looking to impress in the second tier. Sheffield United Ground – Bramall Lane, S2 4SU Tickets – Buy Tickets: Sheffield United Ticketing ( sufc.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @sufc_women Instagram/Threads – sufc_women Manager – Ash Thompson Last season – 7th Women’s Championship Players joined – Sian Rogers (Charlton Athletic), Monique Robinson (Leicester City), Abbie Lafayette (Watford), Maria Farrugia (Lewes), Satara Murray (Bristol City), Leanne Cowan (London City Lionesses), Annie Wilding (Everton), Ellen Molloy (Wexford) Players left – Rebecca Rayner (Brighton & Hove Albion), Sophie Barker (Portsmouth), Tara Bourne (Southampton), Fran Stenson (Southampton), Charlotte Newsham (Charlton Athletic), Jodie Hutton (Charlton Athletic), Rachel Brown (Southampton), Ashley Hodson (retired), Sophie Haywood (Newcastle United), Charley Docherty (Burnley), Chene Muir (Derby County), Alanta Brown (Rugby Borough), Ellie May (West Bromwich Albion), Tamara Wilcock (Stoke City), Isobel Goodwin (London City Lionesses) Ash Thompson moved up to become Sheffield United’s first team head coach in July following a spell in charge of their under 21 side. Another club with a high turnover of players during the summer but amongst their signings are Sian Rogers in goal and Malta international Maria Farrugia. The Blades have lost Isobel Goodwin, who was second highest scorer in the Championship last season, to London City Lionesses. Southampton Ground – St Mary’s Stadium, SO14 5FP Tickets – Women | Southampton FC Official Site Social Media – X (Twitter) - @SaintsFCWomen (matchday)/@SouthamptonFC Instagram - saintsfcwomen Manager – Remi Allen Last season – 4th Women’s Championship Players joined – Rachel Rowe (Rangers), Tara Bourne (Sheffield United), Fran Stenson (Sheffield United), Rachel Brown (Sheffield United), Aimee Palmer (Leicester City), Freya Gregory (Aston Villa – loan) Players left – Rosie Parnell (retired), Laura Rafferty (Rangers), Lexi Lloyd-Smith (Bristol City), Megan Wynne (Perth Glory), Beth Howard (Oxford United), Katie Wilkinson (Rangers), Ella Morris (Tottenham Hotspur), Sophia Pharoah, Emily Kraft (Aberdeen – loan) The Saints second season in the Championship saw them achieve their highest ever league finish before Marianne Spacey-Cale announced she was moving to a more senior role at the club. Remi Allen, who impressed during a short spell in charge of London City Lionesses last season, has been appointed as their new head coach as they look to continue their upward trajectory. Sunderland Ground – Eppleton Colliery Football Ground, DH5 9NA (Clubs main ground – Stadium of Light, SR5 1SU) Tickets – Event Tickets List - eTickets ( eticketing.co.uk ) Social Media – X (Twitter) - @SAFCWomen Instagram/Threads - safcwomen Manager – Mel Reay Last season – 3rd Women’s Championship Players joined – Demi Lambourne (Leicester City), Eleanor Dale (Everton), Keira Flannery (West Ham United – loan), Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United – loan) Players left – Grace McCatty (retired), Liz Ejupi, Faye Mullen (retired), Mollie Rouse (Spokane Zephyr), Claudia Moan (Newcastle United) Sunderland had an amazing 2023/24 season as they challenged for the title until the second last game and eventually finished in 3rd place. They have lost last season’s Championship Player of the Season Claudia Moan over the summer but have brought in Demi Lambourne, who was with champions Crystal Palace last season, into replace her in goal. Will be interesting to see if Mel Reay’s side can do as well again. Fixtures These are the first fixtures of the season which are due to be played today, Sunday (8th September). Durham v Sheffield United - 12:00 - Maiden Castle Sports Park Southampton v Bristol City - 14:00 - St. Mary’s Stadium London City Lionesses v Newcastle United - 14:00 - Hayes Lane (live on YouTube) Charlton Athletic v Portsmouth - 14:00 - The Valley Birmingham City v Sunderland - 14:00 - St. Andrews @ Knighthead Park Click on the link to see all the fixtures in the Women’s Championship this season - Scores & Fixtures | Barclays Women's Super League & Championship ( thefa.com )

Crystal Palace are crowned Champions of the Women's Championship in front of record home crowd Back Match Report Selhurst Park rocking as Crystal Palace win the Women’s Championship Crystal Palace are crowned Champions of the Women's Championship in front of record home crowd Ryan Asman 28 April 2024 By Charlotte Stacey Heading into the game Lauren Kaminski’s side all but had their hands on the trophy, sitting at the top of the table, three points ahead and a goal difference of 22 over title chaser Charlton Athletic. Unless the Addicks could pull off an outrageous scoreline at the Valley, Palace would be crowned Champions and earn promotion to the Women’s Super League. After a slight delay to kick of due to a few unruly balloons Annabel Blanchard got things underway. Palace had the brighter start to the half and this largely continued throughout the match. The home side made excellent use of their wingers, optimising the pace Araya Dennis and Isibeal Atkinson (backed by fullbacks Ria Percival and Fliss Gibbons) to attack the wide areas. Palace also switched the ball from side to side with Annabel Blanchard and Shanade Hopcroft acting as pivots to quickly move the ball cross field and pull Sunderland from side to side. This tactic from Palace allowed their stronger runners, Dennis, Atkinson, Molly Sharpe and later Shauna Guyatt to flood the central space that was left by disrupted Sunderland’s back four. For Sunderland, this high press from the Eagles meant that they were pinned in their own half in certain phases. As the visitors found passing lanes somewhat restricted, their primary option to apply pressure the hosts were to apply pace in transition and look for balls over the top. Sunderland did exactly this in 43rd minute which earned them the best chance of the first half. The ball was overturned in the final third where Palace had committed high numbers. Sunderland applied a counter attack in which Scarr was able to win the footrace against Gibbons and deliver a decent cross into the box. Ellen Jones met the ball and struck it on target but her strike lacked the conviction needed to beat Demi Lambourne. The visitors applied more pressure during the second half and used the strength of Natasha Fenton and Jenna Deer to execute individual duels in the midfield. This meant Palace were forced to play a narrower game, and in defensive phases, invert an auxiliary player from either side to support holding midfielder Lexi Potter. This made for a much more even half with both sides creating enough chances to convert, but neither managing to hit the back of the net. This was seen in examples when Gibbons’ shot was dragged wide in the 49th minute and when the visitors hit the crossbar in the 61st minute. As the fourth official held up a minimum of ten minutes additional time the 6796 strong crowd kicked their rousing support up a notch and Palace ended the match with a clear cut chance for Sharpe and as the side in control. Despite the goalless draw, Selhurst Park was electric. On home turf and in front of a record crowd, the Eagles are going up. Line Ups Crystal Palace: Lambourne (GK), Percival, Everett (C), Nolan, Gibbons (88’), Potter (90+8’), Hopcroft (90+8’), Blanchard, Dennis (90+8’), Atkinson (58’), Sharpe Substitutes: Negri (GK), Johnson, Doran, Reilly (88’), Filbey (90+8’), Arthur (90+8’), Guyatt (58’), Larkin, Watson (90+8’) Sunderland: Moan (GK), Brown, Goddard, Westrup (C), Griffiths, Fenton, Dear, McInnes (74’), Watson (74’), Jones (74’), Scarr Substitutes: Borthwick, Kitching (74’), Rouse, Ede, McCatty (90+8’), Ejupi (74’), McAteer (74’), Beer Yellow: Jones, Deer, Griffiths

A 1-1 draw keeps Manchester United in third place as Man City move in to battle it out for the third Champions League spot. Back Match Report WSL: West Ham v Manchester United A 1-1 draw keeps Manchester United in third place as Man City move in to battle it out for the third Champions League spot. Paul Donegan 18 March 2022 By Paul Donegan On a cold, wet and breezy Wednesday evening at the Chigwell Construction Stadium, West Ham played Manchester United in the WSL. Manchester United had the first chance in the 3rd minute when a low cross was put wide by Ella Toone. Man United’s Diane Caldwell was shown the first yellow card of the game in the 7th minute after committing a foul. West Ham’s first attempt came a minute later when Tameka Yallop had an effort saved by Mary Earps. In the 16th minute, Man United saw a corner scrambled away before having a shot go wide. Two minutes later, Leah Galton dispossessed Hawa Cissoko then passed to Alessia Russo but Cissoko got back to make a tackle before Russo could have a shot. West Ham’s Yallop was just unable to get onto Yui Hasegawa’s pass in the 25th minute. It was Manchester United though who continued to create more of the chances and the next came two minutes later when Martha Thomas was just unable to get her head on a cross, and a minute after that she saw a header saved by Mackenzie Arnold. A Katie Zelem corner caused problems in the 38th minute and Toone then saw a low shot from outside the area pushed away by Arnold. Three minutes before half time, Thomas saw her long range lob hit the crossbar via Arnold’s hand with the West Ham goalkeeper getting to the loose ball first. The last chance of the first half fell to Jackie Groenen who saw her effort from outside the area saved. The final action of the first half was a yellow card being shown to West Ham’s Gilly Flaherty for a foul. Manchester United had more of the first half opportunities but it was scoreless at the break. It was Man United who started the second half on top too with Russo seeing a shot pushed away by Arnold in the 46th minute. A Zelem corner was pushed away before Toone’s shot from halfway inside the half went wide. Russo was then unable to get onto Galton’s cross. In the 54th minute, Manchester United did take the lead when Ella Toone scored from close range with an acrobatic finish. West Ham started to create chances after going behind with Kate Longhurst seeing her cross put over by Yallop in the 59th minute and Katerina Svitoka saw a long range shot go wide a minute later. A cross from Man United’s Galton went right across goal but no one was able to get on the end of it. Yallop saw another effort saved for West Ham in the 65th minute as West Ham continued to look for an equaliser. At the other end, Kate Longhurst got a cross just before Galton in the 73rd minute. Flaherty saw her header from a free kick claimed by Earps in the 84th minute before Manchester United’s Toone was booked five minutes later for kicking the ball away. West Ham’s Svitoka headed wide Longhurst’s cross just before the game went into 5 minutes of injury time. West Ham won a corner during this from which Grace Fisk’s headed hit the post and went in for a dramatic late equaliser. There was still time for a succession of dangerous Zelem corners but there were no more goals as it finished 1-1. Not for the first time this season Manchester United have let in a late goal after leading to draw a match. Also, not the first time West Ham have scored a late equaliser. The result leaves Man United third in the league but Manchester City are now only 3 points behind with a game in hand as the fight for final Champions League spot really hots up. Teams West Ham United: Arnold, Fisk, Flaherty, Cissoko, Longhurst, Hasegawa, Brynjarsdottir, Stringer (Evans 69’), Svitkova, Yallop, Leon (Parker 90’+4) Unused substitutes: Wyne, Snerle, Walker, Filis, Leat, Joel, Houssein Goal – Fisk 90’+3 Booked – Flaherty Manchester United: Earps, Batlle, Caldwell, Zelem, Blundell, Groenen, Risa (Moore 68’), Toone, Galton, Thomas (Hanson 90’+4), Russo (Fuso 74’) Unused substitutes: Harris, Baggaley Goal – Toone 54’ Booked – Caldwell, Toone Referee – Daniel Lamport Attendance – 1,425

Nottingham Forest vs Watford Photographer Edward Payne Watford earn promotion into the Championship with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FAWNL play-off. Our photographer Edward Payne was on hand to capture the bittersweet moments of the game.

Tobin Heath rescues Arsenal with last gasp equaliser at Manchester City Back Match Report WSL: Manchester City v Arsenal Tobin Heath rescues Arsenal with last gasp equaliser at Manchester City Girls on the Ball 24 January 2022 By Josh Bunting Tobin Heath’s last gasp goal rescued a point for Arsenal in their 1-1 draw with Manchester City away from home on Sunday evening. Heath’s goal could turn into a priceless point for the Gunners at the end of the season,as they go in search of the League title. Arsenal had the first clear-cut opportunity of the game inside nine minutes, when young Manchester City keeper Khiara Keating misjudged a ball into the box ,the ball dropping for Vivianne Miedema but her effort was cleared off the line by Alex Greenwood. A minute later Keating had to be alert to keep her side level when Miedema fired in a low shot,but the keeper did well to get down and keep the ball out at her near-post. Manchester City responded well however, when on 15 minutes Lauren Hemp met a Jess Park cross but could only direct her header into the grateful gloves off Manuela Zinsberger. Miedema was inches away from the opener minutes later when Nikita Parris skipped down the wing before swinging in a cross,but Miedema just couldn’t reach it to stab the ball into the net. Park could have broken the deadlock however for the home side as they caught Arsenal out on the counter attack, the 20 year old beating the defender but could only direct her effort wide. In an end to end game Arsenal had a good opening from a corner, when Lotte Wubben-Moy rose highest only to direct her header into the hands of the Manchester City stopper. On 33 minutes Katie McCabe found herself in the book after a coming together with Hemp ,meaning that the yellow card will earn her a suspension missing Thursday’s match with Brighton & Hove Albion. There would then be a moment of concern for Arsenal, as Leah Williamson who started the game after returning from injury went down holding her hamstring but ,was eventually ruled to be fine to continue. Manchester City had the final opportunity of the first half when Alex Greenwood whipped in a free-kick for Lucy Bronze to flick a header wide of the target. Jonas Eidevall made his first change at half-time bringing off Williamson for precaution, and replacing her with new signing Rafaelle Souza. Manchester City had the first strike of the second half, when former Gunners hero Vicky Losada had a go from distance but the ball went just wide of the target. Keating made a smart save in the 50th minute when Jordan Nobbs picked out Beth Mead who left Lucy Bronze for dead before firing in a low shot ,but the keeper was down smartly to make the stop. Eidevall’s side started the second half much better, pressing quickly as Nobbs played a smart pass into Miedema who cut inside and her shot was straight into the hands of Keating. Parris was then the next Arsenal player to find herself in the book ,as Hemp broke free down the left but was stopped in her tracks swiftly by Parris who raced back to trip her up. Eidevall would have been quite happy with what he was witnessing ,when his side had another opening via Miedema who was picked out on the edge of the box, but her shot from a tight angle was well handled by the keeper. Manchester City however came inches away from the opener on 61 minutes as Arsenal were caught cold on the counter attack ,as Hemp picked out Park who opened up the Gunners defence ,but her effort was superbly saved by Zinsberger reacting quickly to turn the ball over the crossbar. Eidevall was then to use his bench as he made a double change bringing on Heath and Lia Walti replacing Frida Maanum and Parris. Manchester City however took the lead on 65 minutes as Hemp skipped past Noelle Maritz ,before sending in a low cross for Khadija Shaw who tapped the ball into the back of the net. Arsenal however ,were furious as the ball clearly hit the referee changing direction and finding the feet of Hemp before she got her cross away. The goal resulted in a yellow card for Eidevall who protested in an angry fashion picking up his fourth booking of the season. That goal forced the Arsenal boss to look upon his bench yet again, when he brought on striker Stina Blackstenius taking off Nobbs for the final twenty minutes of the clash. Zinsberger then came to Arsenal’s rescue on 77 minutes when Georgia Stanway opened up the Arsenal defence with an excellent pass into the path of Hemp, who’s low effort was well saved by the feet of the Gunners keeper from close range. On 84 minutes and with time running out ,Manchester City came close to their second when Caroline Weir had a go from range, but Zinsberger yet again was equal to the effort palming the ball away from the danger zone before a Blue shirt could react. With six minutes added on time Arsenal found a way through via Heath,as Mead latched onto a direct ball up the pitch before slipping the pass into Blackstenius who held off the challenge from the Manchester City defence ,before the ball fell into the path of Heath who fired her low shot across goal and into the net. The result means that Eidevall’s troops extended their lead at the top of the table to two points ahead of Manchester United ,but have a game in hand over the Red Devils against Brighton on Thursday. Teams Manchester City: Keating 7,Bronze ,Houghton ,Greenwood ,Stokes Losada (Weir 57), Walsh ,Stanway, Coombs 88); Park ,Shaw, (White 74), Hemp. Substitutes not used: Pilling ,Scott, Beckie, Angeldahl, Mace. Arsenal: Zinsberger,Maritz ,Williamson (Souza 45), Wubben-Moy ,McCabe , Maanum (Walti 63), Little ,Nobbs, (Blackstenius 72); Parris (Heath 63), Miedema , Mead. Substitutes not used: Stenson,Beattie, Boye, Schnaderbeck, Wienroither. Referee: Abigail Byrne Attendance: 2,355.

Lewes are relegated from the Championship as Crystal Palace are one step away from promotion Back Match Report Fans come out in droves to applaud fantastic Lewes as they are relegated from the Championship Lewes are relegated from the Championship as Crystal Palace are one step away from promotion James Boyes 22 April 2024 By Paul Donegan Crystal Palace are on the verge of claiming the Women’s Championship title after their 2-0 win over Lewes at The Dripping Pan on Sunday whilst the defeat sees The Rooks relegated to the FA Women’s National League for next season. Shanade Hopcroft and Molly-Mae Sharpe scored the goals for the Eagles meaning all Laura Kaminski’s side need is a point to mathematically win the league on the final day of the season next weekend or avoid a big swing in goal difference if they lose and Charlton Athletic win. There was a good atmosphere on a cool afternoon with the Lewes fans behind one goal with their band and the Palace fans and their flags at the other. The attendance of 2,614 was The Rooks biggest ever league attendance at the Pan. Scott Booth’s side lined up with five across the back with the wing backs getting forward and Hazard dropping back to cover in defence. The Eagles were playing in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Hughes up top and Blanchard behind her with Hopcroft also getting forward from midfield to support the attack. Annabel Blanchard had the first opportunity for the visitors but her dipping free kick from 25-yards was caught by Sophie Whitehouse. Their next chance came two minutes later when Elise Hughes’ shot on the turn was saved. Sharpe’s deep cross from the right was claimed by Whitehouse in the 9th minute, then seconds later another of her crosses landed on the roof of the net. Then in the 14th minute, Sharpe controlled the ball in the area but sent an shot over. The home sides first chance came shortly after when Aimee Claypole was played in but sent her lobbed effort from outside the area over both the goalkeeper and crossbar. In the 23rd minute, a nice attack from the hosts finished with Caragh Hamilton putting a shot wide. Hopcroft gave Crystal Palace the lead in spectacular style in the 25th minute when she controlled the ball then sent a dipping and swerving half volley from 25-yards over Whitehouse and into the back of the net. The visitors had to make a substitution in the 29th minute when Hughes had to go off injured with Araya Dennis coming on to replace her. The Welsh international later reappeared during the second half on crutches. This change saw Sharpe go up front with Dennis on the right side. A dangerous low cross from Palace was turned over their own crossbar by a Rooks defender. Blanchard then had a shot from outside the area in the 34th minute that was easily claimed by the Lewes goalkeeper. An Eagles free kick was headed just wide by Dennis coming in at the far post in the final minute of the first half. In the second minute of additional time, a long Palace ball forward found Sharpe whose delightful lob was brilliantly tipped over by Whitehouse. Jacqui Hand had a good chance to equalise for The Rooks deep into stoppage time but dragged her shot wide of the post. Lewes’ half time substitute Reanna Blades had the first chance of the second half but her effort was deflected and looped into the hands of Demi Lambourne. Sharpe doubled the visitors lead in the 50th minute when she got onto Blanchard’s flick on after Lexi Potter’s long through ball and finished low past Whitehouse. Two minutes after going two behind and straight from the restart, Lewes’ Grace Riglar forced Lambourne into a good save. Blanchard turned in the area but sent her shot straight at Whitehouse in 57th minute as the Eagles looked to increase their lead further. Dennis went on a strong run down the right side but she sent her cross into the hands of the Rooks goalkeeper. With 15 minutes left, Felicity Gibbons free kick from distance bounced through the penalty area with none of her Palace teammates unable to get a decisive touch on the ball. Sharpe was denied by Whitehouse in the 77th minute after a quick attack from the visitors. Blanchard found some space in the area but sent her shot wide three minutes later. Amelia Hazard sent an effort over for the hosts as eight additional minutes were announced. During stoppage time, Hamilton’s fierce shot was blocked for the home side before the ball was cleared. These turned out to be the final chances of the match as the final whistle was blown shortly after confirming The Rooks relegation. The Crystal Palace players celebrated with their fans at the end of the match, and it is very much in their hands going into the final game of the season as they are three points ahead of Charlton with a much better goal difference. They take on Sunderland at Selhurst Park next Sunday whilst the Addicks are at home to Southampton at The Valley. Line-ups Lewes (5-3-2): Whitehouse, Hamilton (c), Hack, Olding (Roche 90’), Garrad, Heuchan, Hazard, Farrugia (Blades 46’), Hand (Grey 66’), Claypole (Brasero-Carreira 76’), Riglar Unused substitutes: Moore, Cleverly, Godfrey, Palmer Booked – Hamilton, Hazard, Grey Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Lambourne, Percival (Reilly 87’), Everett (c), Nolan, Gibbons, Potter, Hopcroft (Guyatt 87’), Sharpe, Blanchard, Atkinson (Larkin 69’), Hughes (Dennis 29’) Unused substitutes: Negri, Doran, Filbey, Arthur, Watson, Goals – Hopcroft 25’, Sharpe 50’ Booked – Atkinson, Sharpe, Dennis Referee – Lauren Impey Attendance – 2,614

Nusken and Kaneryd goals ease Chelsea through to the Subway League Cup final Back Match Report Chelsea sail through to League Cup final Nusken and Kaneryd goals ease Chelsea through to the Subway League Cup final Chelsea FCW 6 February 2025 By Finley Chung Chelsea sealed their place in the first final off the season the Subway Women’s League Cup after a 2-0 win over West Ham United at Kingsmeadow. Goals in the first half from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Sjoeke Nusken were enough to break down a stubborn West Ham side The headline be from the team news at Kingsmeadow was Keira Walsh’s first Chelsea start, having made her debut against Aston Villa at the weekend, with both sides eyeing a spot in the Subway Cup Final. On a bitter night in South West London, Chelsea got us underway, with the Blues doing a lot of the early running and getting touches on the ball early, Both teams had varied results to get to this stage, with this West Ham’s second London Derby in as many rounds, overcoming Spurs 2-1 in the Quarter Finals, whilst Chelsea breezed aside Durham 6-0 at the same stage to set up this tie, Some good pressing from Sjoeke Nusken set Guro Reiten away for the first inroad down the Blues’ left - but West Ham defended it very well and got the ball away, with the first chance coming courtesy of good running by Ashley Lawrence down the right, pulling the ball back to Guro Reiten, with the wingers poking the ball wide. West Ham stayed compact in the first 15 minutes, not allowing Chelsea any clear cut chances, but Guro Reiten found herself in space from a free kick after being found by Niamh Charles, with the winger heading over the bar. Chelsea then had another clever set piece, with Maika Hamano rolling a short free kick to Keira Walsh on the edge, but the midfielders effort was charged down well. It took twenty minutes for the Blues to open the scoring, with Johanna Rytting Kaneryd getting the ball on the right hand side of the area and lashing an effort inside Kinga Smezik’s near post to send early relief surging around Kingsmeadow. Chelsea were getting more joy down their left and Guro Reiten found herself in too much space from a West Ham point of view, and somehow the ball couldn’t be turned home. Just before the halfway hour, Chelsea made it two, with some good pressing from Nusken eventually seeing the big German race through on goal after a good ball from Reiten, Nusken then rounded the goalkeeper and calmly slot the ball home to double the hosts advantage. Chelsea were keen to put the game to bed and almost had a third four minutes later, when Niamh Charles popped the ball inside to Hamano, with the Japanese Playmaker’s near post effort beaten away by Szmezik. The Hammers tried to up their ante after going two down and were definitely creating more probing play in the final third, but Oona Siren scuffed a ball on the edge of the box which sort of summed up the Irons’ attacking threats as Chelsea were able to clear confidently. Eva Nostrum had to be alert at the other end, excellently tracking back and blocking a goal bound Mayra Ramirez effort to keep score at just two going into half time. HT - Chelsea 2-0 West Ham United West Ham got the second half underway but it was the Blues who were once again controlling the play and not allowing West Ham out, with a huge chance to make it three on the 51st minute, as a lung busting Mayra Ramirez run and cross found Kaneryd at the back stick, with the Swede unable to properly adjust and fired her effort high and wide, the Colombian almost had a chance to add to the tally herself, but was unable to catch her effort and it rolled into the arms of Smezik. The Chelsea pack was then shuffled, with Ashley Lawrence and Mayra Ramirez replaced by Lauren James and Aggie Beaver Jones respectively, with West Ham also introducing Seraina Piubel in place of Shekeira Martinez. Wieke Kaptein then came on just shy of the hour, to replace Maika Hamano, with West Ham also making a double change, with Eva Nystrom and Oona Siren coming off for Danny Brynjarsdottir and Camila Saez respectively to try and inject some pace back into the game, Saez indeed had a chance about two minutes after coming on, looping her header over the bar, with Manuela Pavi replacing Riko Ueki for the Hammers. Some neat interplay from West Ham created another chance, with Viv Asseyi threading Kirsty Smith through down the wing, but her effort was well stopped by Hannah Hampton in the Chelsea goal. Oriane Jean Francois was then introduced for the final ten minutes in place of the scorer of the first goal, Johanna Kaneryd, with Millie Bright lashing an effort over the bar in an attempt to add gloss onto the Chelsea scoreline after cries of ‘Shoot’ from the Blues Faithful. The signal for three minutes added time was navigated with ease by the hosts, as they extended their unbeaten run uto twenty two matches, and sealed their place in the first final of the 2024/2025 Season. Full Time - Chelsea 2-0 West Ham Goals - Rytting Kaneryd 20’, Nusken 29’

Saints make it two out of two with a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers Back Match Report WC: Southampton v Blackburn Rovers Saints make it two out of two with a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers Southampton FC omen 4 September 2023 By Paul Donegan Southampton made it two wins out of two in the Championship as they beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 on Sunday. Both goals were scored during the second half with them coming from Sophia Pharoah and an Alex Brooks own goal. These two were the only sides to win their opening matches last weekend. Southampton head coach Marieanne Spacey-Cale made two changes from their 4-1 win at Lewes with Ella Morris and Laura Rafferty replacing Lexi Lloyd-Smith and Alice Griffiths. Simon Parker made one change from the Rovers side that beat Birmingham 1-0 with Lauren Thomas coming in for Georgia Walters. Blackburn had the first chance in the 2nd minute when Lucy Shepherd just couldn’t get her head onto a dangerous cross. At the other end two minutes later, Southampton put in a dangerous low cross of their own that was put behind for a corner. From the corner, Brooks made a double save to deny Katie Wilkinson and then claimed the ball before it crossed the line. A great ball forward from Jemma Purfield found Molly Pike who passed to Wilkinson but she shot wide in the 6th minute for the Saints. Six minutes later, a long-range effort from Megan Collett dipped over the crossbar as Southampton had more of the early chances. After a fairly frantic start, the match then went through a quite spell chance wise on what was a warm and sunny afternoon at St Mary’s Stadium. Purfield was pinging some nice balls around the pitch for the hosts, and one of these found Morris but she shot over in the 28th minute. The home side had the next opportunity but a good ball across the six-yard box was unable to find Pike. Just as two minutes of additional time at the end of the half were announced, Pike put an effort wide. This turned out to be the last chance of the half as the sides went in goalless at half time. Pharoah gave Southampton the lead in the 49th minute, scoring her second goal of the season, when she dinked the ball over the Blackburn goalkeeper from inside the area after a superb through ball from Wilkinson. Four minutes later, Wilkinson couldn’t get enough contact on a cross and headed wide from close-range as the Saints looked to quickly double their advantage. The next effort didn’t come until the 75th minute when Lucia Kendall put an effort over after some nice build up play from Southampton. Jade Richards made a brilliant block on the line to deny Pike in the 89th minute as the hosts came close to making the game safe. They did score their second in the first minute of stoppage time when Kendall’s shot from just outside the area hit the post and went into the net off the unlucky Brooks. The home fans were chanting “we are top the league” near the end of the match as the Saints remain the only side with a 100% record in the league after two games. Both sides play again on Sunday when Southampton take on Sunderland at St Mary’s whilst Blackburn return to Ewood Park to play Sheffield United. Line ups Southampton: Rendell, Morris, Mott, Kendall, Parnell (c), Rafferty (Peake 77’), Wilkinson (Kraft 90’), Pharoah (Lloyd-Smith 77’), Pike, Purfield, Collett Unused substitutes: Howard, Wynne, Thompson, Milne, Griffiths Goals – Pharoah 49’, Brooks (o.g.) 90’+1 Booked - Collett Blackburn Rovers: Brooks, Tolond, Seed (Silcock 57’), Richards (c), Williams, Hornby, Taylor (Coan 57’), Shepherd (Smith 68’), Chandarana (Doyle 45’), Thomas (Dahou 68’), Nokuthula Unused substitutes: Salgado, Howarth, Dale Booked - Richards Referee – Lisa Benn Attendance – 1,645