COVENTRY SNATCH TITLE IN SEASON OF TWO HALVES

After successive mid-table finishes in the National Division following their 2013 promotion from the Northern Division, Coventry City took a while to hit their straps in what was their first ever season in the Southern Division as the FAWPL structure was altered due to the formation of FA WSL2.

Coventry trailed way behind leaders Gillingham and second placed Cardiff City after the first half of the campaign; but a weather-enforced three-month break from league action proved a blessing for the Midlanders as they clawed their way back into contention and then took the title in dramatic fashion.

The statistics of the season tell their own story: in early December and after 10 outings each of the 20-match campaign, Gillingham had 26 points, Cardiff 23 points and Coventry 18 points. But come the completion of each team’s fixture programme, Coventry had sneaked home with 46 points, two ahead of the Gills and six in front of the Bluebirds.

The crunch encounter came on 18 May, when Gillingham - in their last match of the season - hosted Coventry knowing that victory would confirm them as champions. It would have taken them on to 47 points so that Coventry, who would still have a game remaining, could reach a maximum of 46 points.

In the reverse fixture back in October the Gills had handed Coventry a comprehensive 4-0 beating up in the midlands. But this time round it was City who prevailed, two goals by prolific midfielder Helen Dermody and one from striker Maz Gauntlett  giving them a 3-0 victory.

Recalling the season-defining game, Coventry legend Dermody - who in 349 appearances for the club hit 159 goals - said: “We knew it was win or bust for us, and we knew how hard it was going to be after being well beaten by them at home.

“After that first game we thought, “Oh no, that could be the end of our chances of winning the league. We didn’t write off our chances, but we knew we had to bounce back really positively.

“We did that in the second half of the season, but when it came to that Gillingham away game it was all or nothing. We were up for the challenge, but we were given extra motivation when we were told that Gillingham had organised a celebration after the match - they must have thought the title was theirs.

“We produced one of our best performances of the season and totally deserved the win. I don’t remember many of my goals, but I remember those two - and Maz came off the subs’ bench to make sure of the points with an absolute worldy.”

Coventry’s win meant they were a point behind Gillingham heading into their final game, away to fourth in the table Portsmouth. And with the Gills having a far superior goal difference, nothing short of victory on the south coast would do if it was going to be Coventry’s title.

A fortnight earlier they had convincingly beaten Pompey 4-0 at home. But away from home and in a somewhat nervier display, a goal by captain Natasha Lynch saw them to a 1-0 victory that completed a quick-fire double and with it, the Southern Division crown. 

Dermody added: “It was another win or bust situation for us, and we had to play on a 3G pitch which didn’t help. But we battled through and Lynchy’s goal got us over the line. We hadn’t started the season particularly well, but we won all but one of our last 10 games and that’s what won us the league.”

While Coventry were winning the Southern Division, Chesham United were acquiring the wooden spoon - relegated after their first season in the league, though they were to return for the 2018/19 campaign. 

West Ham United finished second bottom but were not relegated as the division was set to be expanded from 11 to 12 teams for the 2014/15 season. 

With Coventry set for a switch to the Northern Division for that following campaign it meant that three new clubs - Copsewood (whose name would be changed to Nuneaton Town in 2015), Plymouth Argyle and Queens Park Rangers - would be joining the Southern Division.

FINAL TABLE

FA WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIVISION RESULTS 2013-14

25/8/2013
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Cardiff City
Charlton Athletic 2-1 West Ham United
Coventry City 2-0 Lewes
Gillingham 4-1 Keynsham Town
Portsmouth 3-1 Chesham United

1/9/2013
Cardiff City 0-0 Gillingham
Chesham United 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Keynsham Town 3-6 Brighton & Hove Albion
Lewes 2-1 Charlton Athletic 
West Ham United 2-1 Portsmouth

8/9/2013
Coventry City 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Gillingham 5-0 Chesham United
Portsmouth 2-0 Cardiff City
Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Charlton Athletic 
West Ham United 1-1 Lewes

15/9/2013
Charlton Athletic 1-3 Gillingham
Chesham United 2-5 West Ham United
Coventry City 0-1 Cardiff City
Keynsham Town 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Lewes 2-1 Portsmouth

29/9/2013
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 West Ham United
Chesham United 0-5 Cardiff City
Gillingham 3-0 Portsmouth
Keynsham Town 0-4 Charlton Athletic 
Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 Coventry City

6/10/2013
Cardiff City 4-3 Keynsham Town
Charlton Athletic 3-2 Chesham United
Coventry City 0-4 Gillingham
Lewes 0-6 Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

13/10/2013
Chesham United 0-5 Coventry City
Keynsham Town 4-1 West Ham United

20/10/2013
Cardiff City 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Charlton Athletic 0-1 Coventry City
Chesham United 2-1 Keynsham Town
Gillingham 1-1 West Ham United
Portsmouth 5-1 Lewes

3/11/2013
Charlton Athletic 3-3 Cardiff City
Gillingham 5-1 Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United 1-3 Coventry City

10/11/2013
Keynsham Town 3-3 Coventry City

17/11/2013
Keynsham Town 0-5 Cardiff City

24/11/2013
Brighton & Hove Albion 5-0 Chesham United
Coventry City 1-1 Charlton Athletic 
Portsmouth 3-2 Keynsham Town
Tottenham Hotspur 1-3 Lewes
West Ham United 0-3 Gillingham

1/12/2013
Cardiff City 4-1 West Ham United
Chesham United 1-0 Lewes
Gillingham 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Portsmouth 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

8/12/2013
Lewes 3-1 Gillingham
West Ham United 3-1 Chesham United

15/12/2013
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Portsmouth

22/12/2013
Keynsham Town 5-2 Chesham United

19/1/2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Cardiff City 9-1 Chesham United

16/2/2014
Cardiff City 1-1 Lewes

19/2/2014
Portsmouth 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

23/2/2014
Charlton Athletic 3-2 Lewes
Chesham United 1-4 Portsmouth
Coventry City 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur

2/3/2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Keynsham Town
Chesham United 0-4 Charlton Athletic 
Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Portsmouth

9/3/2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Coventry City
Charlton Athletic 4-3 Keynsham Town
Lewes 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Portsmouth 3-2 Gillingham

16/3/2014
Keynsham Town 3-0 Lewes
Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Chesham United
West Ham United 2-3 Charlton Athletic 

23/3/2014
Cardiff City 3-2 Portsmouth
Coventry City 6-0 Chesham United
Gillingham 1-0 Lewes
Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United 2-1 Keynsham Town

26/3/2014
Charlton Athletic 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur

30/3/2014
Charlton Athletic 1-1 Portsmouth
Lewes 2-0 Keynsham Town
Tottenham Hotspur 0-4 Gillingham
West Ham United 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

6/4/2014
Cardiff City 1-2 Coventry City
Chesham United 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Gillingham 3-1 Charlton Athletic 
Keynsham Town 1-2 Portsmouth
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 West Ham United

13/4/2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 4-1 Charlton Athletic 
Lewes 5-1 West Ham United
Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Keynsham Town

20/4/2014
Charlton Athletic 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Coventry City 2-1 Keynsham Town
Gillingham 4-2 Cardiff City
Lewes 3-0 Chesham United

26/4/2014
Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Cardiff City

27/4/2014
Cardiff City 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Keynsham Town 4-2 Gillingham
Lewes 1-1 Coventry City

4/5/2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Lewes
Chesham United 0-8 Gillingham
Coventry City 2-0 West Ham United
Portsmouth 2-0 Charlton Athletic 

11/5/2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Gillingham
Coventry City 4-0 Portsmouth
West Ham United 0-3 Cardiff City

18/5/2014
Lewes 2-1 Cardiff City
Gillingham 0-3 Coventry City
Portsmouth 6-2 West Ham United

25/5/2014
Cardiff City 2-2 Charlton Athletic 
Portsmouth 0-1 Coventry City