With four teams in the home straight in the race for promotion to WSL 1, Bristol and Yeovil make their bid to be the first over the finish line first and all the rest of the action from a cram-packed weekend of WSL 2 action.

Vixens claim final home win of the year – Bristol City 1-0 Durham

Having only lost one league game at the Stoke Gifford this year, Willie Kirk was keen for his side to complete their near perfect home form and the Vixens got off to a flying start, taking the lead less than twenty minutes in. After seriously limiting Durham’s chances going forward when the Wildcats finally had a chance to attack they were swiftly countered against as Olivia Fergusson cut in before clinically finishing into the far corner.

The chances kept coming for the hosts but they were unable to capitalise, their finishing not up to scratch as Helen Alderson remained vigilant throughout. Chloe Arthur, Jodie Brett, Claire Emslie and Lauren Hemp all came close for the hosts but were ultimately unable to add to the tally as Bristol closed out the 1-0 win as they close in on an immediate return to the top flight.

Glovers back on track – Yeovil Town 1-0 Everton

Having dropped five points in their last two matches, Yeovil’s lead at the top of the table had been seriously diminished and were pushed into second following Bristol’s win on Saturday but the Lady Glover responded superbly against fellow promotion-chasers, Everton. The hosts took the lead half-way through the first-half courtesy of Summer signing Kelly Aldridge.

The former Cardiff City attacker opening her account for the Somerset club in style, after breaking into the box she let fly with an inch-perfect curler to beat Kirsty Levell and find the top corner. With their own title hopes potentially on the line the Toffees began to throw everything at the tiring hosts, Chloe Kelly only denied an equaliser when Hannah Short cleared off of the line. Yeovil with the last action of the day as Lucy Quinn fired well over Levell’s bar.

The win takes Yeovil back to the summit on goal difference, Everton five points adrift of the top two with one game in hand.

Aldridge opens the scoring in superb fashion
Aldridge opens the scoring in superb fashion

Wilson on target for visiting Bees – Sheffield 0-1 London Bees

After having already met twice this year both teams could boast one win a piece as the Bees were looking to make it two wins on the bounce in Dronfield. Although proving too much for most teams in WSL 2 to handle, Sheffield were put on the back foot half-way through the first half.

Bees top goalscorer, Jo Wilson ghosted between the defence to chase down a long ball before calmly rolling the ball past Juliana Draycott in the home goal. The hosts grew into the game in the second-half and were easily the better team but couldn’t find a way through the steadfast away defence, Ellie Gillatt’s late equaliser chalked off for a close offside.

The defeat brings Sheffield’s fantastic nine game unbeaten streak to an unlikely end and knocks them down into seventh with two games in hand over the two above them. The win is a third successive [in the league] by a one-goal margin for the Bees and a fine bounce-back from the 4-0 hammering they received from Birmingham City last time out.

Villainous result in Abingdon – Oxford United 0-1 Aston Villa

With Aston Villa struggling to get settled into the game in an unfamiliar formation Oxford had the better chances to take the lead in a scrappy first-half. After Grace Moloney – playing her last game for Villa before returning to Reading – parried Lauren Allison’s shot into Ella Franklin-Fraiture’s path the midfielder was left red-faced after skewing her shot high over the bar with the goal gaping.

Moloney was in fine form to keep prolific striker, Ini Umotong out throughout the match and keep her side alive, the Lady Villains paying her back in kind as Kerri Walsh netted the only goal of the game to give the visitors all three points. Natasha Baptiste picked up a long hopeful ball and sent it back across the face of goal for Walsh to poke beyond Demi Lambourne at point-blank range.

Left to rue misses chances Oxford move down the table into ninth with just one win all season as Aston Villa climb above Sheffield into a comfortable sixth.

Lionesses triumphant at homeMillwall Lionesses 2–1 Watford

Despite Watford starting the game stronger the Lionesses settled into the game well and took the advantage at the mid-way point of the half as Amber Gaylor unleashed a thunderbolt after Georgie Giddings dummy at a worked Ashlee Hincks set piece. The hosts doubled their advantage five minutes later as Lucy Gillett spilled the ball at a corner, Giddings on hand to smash the ball past the helpless goalkeeper from point-blank range.

With the chances flowing for the hosts the familiar problem of not being able to capitalise began to creep back into the match and when Watford reduced the deficit just after the break it looked to be costly. After watching Gaylor rip a worldie, Watford’s Ellie Mason was more than willing to volley a goal of the season contender from outside the box past a speechless ‘keeper.

The game only got more and more stretched as the clock ticked away, Rinsola Babajide cannoned the woodwork for the second time in the game with an outrageous lob from 35 yards as both sides searched for another reason to celebrate. Both with a handful of good chances as the game ground to the whistle neither could trouble either keeper again and Millwall held on to claim another valuable win. The win sees Millwall leapfrog fellow strugglers Oxford into eighth whilst Watford remain bottom.

WSL 2 table as it stands (credit: BBC Sport)
WSL 2 table as it stands (credit: BBC Sport)
VAVEL Logo
About the author
Sophie Lawson
Neutral football fan travelling around Europe, covering matches and bothering footballers for interviews