Liverpool Ladies 2-0 Bristol Academy
Liverpool Ladies returned to winning ways thanks to a brace from forward Natasha Dowie.
Prior to kick off at the Select Stadium Matt Beard’s side hadn’t won a league game in over a month but Dowie was on hand early in the game to ease any Merseyside worries, poking in the rebound after visiting goalkeeper Mary Earps palmed away Ashley Hodson’s effort.
Hodson then provided the assist once more after her cross from the right was neatly tucked home by Dowie for Liverpool’s second goal of the game and the striker’s sixth of the campaign.
Bristol went closest through Sophie Ingle who saw her effort cleared off the line by Becky Easton.
But all three points for the home side meant the Reds recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season while the Vixens remain slumped at the bottom of the WSL 1.
Notts County Ladies 2-2 Manchester City Women
Notts County came from 2-0 down to secure a late draw after City skipper Steph Houghton had punished them for some poor defending at a corner just before half time.
Nikita Parris then nearly doubled the visitors lead after the break but her header was just millimetres over the crossbar.
Houghton got her second of the game from a free kick which left County goalkeeper Carly Telford with no chance but with 10 minutes to go City defender Lucy Bronze was adjudged
to have handled the ball inside the penalty area and Jess Clarke calmly put away the resulting penalty.
Rachel Williams then became the heroine of the day, bursting past Houghton and slotting calmly home past an onrushing Karen Bardsley to rescue a point for the home side.
Sunderland Ladies 1-1 Birmingham City Ladies
Sunderland missed an opportunity to go top of the FA WSL 1 after being held by Birmingham.
Karen Carney’s cross was met by Freda Ayisi who put Birmingham ahead before the Black Cats dominated the second half and bagged themselves a deserved goal when
Abbey Joice converted Brooke Chaplen’s cross.
The hosts then had several chances to take the lead but Blues’ goalkeeper Becky Spencer was in superb form and kept her side in the game.
Birmingham went close to nicking all three points in injury time but Rachael Laws and Abbey Holmes ensured title-chasing Sunderland kept hold of a vital point for the newly promoted side.
Arsenal Ladies 0-2 Chelsea Ladies
Emma Hayes’ side moved three points clear at the top of the table after a comprehensive win over title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
The visitors made the perfect start to a crucial fixture, taking the lead in the opening 10 minutes through a Gilly Flaherty’s header which went in off Arsenal’s Vicky Losada.
The WSL 1 leaders then doubled their lead when Fran Kirby earned a penalty after Emma Mitchell was adjudged to have fouled the ex-Reading forward inside the area.
Gemma Davison stepped up to convert the spot kick while in the process, moving top of Chelsea’s goalscoring chart.
Arsenal were then denied an injury time consolation goal when Jordan Nobbs’ effort was tipped onto the post but defeat for the Gunners now means they are five points behind their local rivals with just three games to play.
After the game, manager Hayes spoke to the official Chelsea website, “When you consider how many chances we created in the first half, I was a little bit disappointed that it was only 1-0 at half-time,” she said.
“We should have ended the game sooner but I’m pleased with the result and I think our strategy to play higher up the pitch was the right decision.”
