The plot thickened this week as the second round of the FA Women’s Premier League got underway, and the competition continues to surprise with six away wins being recorded today.
Northern Division
Middlesbrough edged a 4-3 thriller against Wolverhampton Wands despite being 2-1 down at half-time, as they secured their first three points of the season.
After finishing second in the division last term Middlesbrough were well beaten by Fylde last Sunday, and were drawing 3-3 against Wolves until Emma Foster’s dramatic 88th minute winner.
Elsewhere, Huddersfield Town are top of the table thanks to a 6-0 win against Guiseley Vixens, largely thanks to doubles from Kate Mallin and Emily Heckler.
Leicester City made it six points from two games after they won 3-1 away at Stoke City, with last season’s division-toppers Blackburn Rovers also winning away from home, downing West Bromwich Albion 2-0.
Fylde’s game against Derby County was postponed and Bradford City got their first point of the season with a tense 0-0 draw at home to Nottingham Forest.
Southern Division
Not to be outdone the Southern Division had it’s own 4-3 battle, as West Ham United condemned Cardiff City to a second-straight defeat in a pulsating encounter.
Crystal Palace go top after they won their second game on the bounce, triumphing 4-2 at Chichester City.
Nikita Whinnett and Ciara Sherwood put Palace 2-0 up, Char Wilson-Blakely got one back for Chichester but Sherwood scored again to make it 3-1 and Gemma Bryan followed up her five-goal-haul last week with Palace’s fourth.
Portsmouth FC secured a 2-1 victory away at Coventry United to go third in the table, and Charlton Athletic move up to second with their 2-1 win at Gillingham.
Lewes and C&K Basildon couldn’t be separated in a 1-1 draw, and Swindon Town’s 2-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers leaves them rooted to the foot of the table.
Game of the week
Last season West Ham United finished a whopping 35 points behind Cardiff City, but they looked up for the challenge all afternoon in their stunning 4-3 victory.
Two goals for Cori Williams and one for Chloe O’Connor weren’t enough to secure any points for Cardiff, and West Ham now travel to Chichester City in the cup with a spring in their step.
Goal of the week
Jessie Holbrook didn’t get on the scoresheet last week but left her mark in Blackburn’s 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion.
With 58 minutes played and Rovers already leading 1-0 she turned her marker and curled the ball into the far corner to seal the points.
Manager of the week
Huddersfield finished ninth last year but on this season’s evidence they look vastly improved, with credit richly deserved by manager Ashley Vickers.
They ripped through West Bromwich Albion 4-0 last Sunday and upped the ante this week with the 6-0 victory at home to Guiseley Vixens.
Player of the week
Huddersfield’s Kate Mallin helped herself to two goals last week to open her account for the season.
And she doubled her tally this week with another brace, taking just four minutes to put Huddersfield 1-0 up against Guiseley and then putting the icing on the victory with the final goal of the game, a superb free-kick that deceived the keeper.
