The Barclays Women’s Championship title race is set to go down to the final day of the season after London City Lionesses and Birmingham City were both held to draws against Durham and Newcastle United respectively.
The results mean the Lionesses remain two points clear of Birmingham at the summit of the table with one game left to play, which will see the top two square off.
Katy Watson struck five minutes into injury-time to seal all three points for Sunderland against Bristol City and Portsmouth put four with no reply past Blackburn Rovers to seal survival.
Bottom-placed Sheffield United were relegated after falling 3-2 to Southampton.
Lionesses denied by Durham deadlock
London City Lionesses were denied the chance to seal the Barclays Women’s Championship title after a 1-1 draw against Durham at Hayes Lane.
Hannah Blake broke the deadlock for Durham with a first-time finish 19 minutes into proceedings, only for Izzy Goodwin to level the scores 11 minutes into the second half after latching onto Sofia Jakobsson’s delivery.
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah came close to seizing control of the game for Lionesses when she headed at goal but her attempt was tipped over the bar by Durham keeper Rylee Foster.
It was then Miljana Ivanovic’s turn to fire away but the Serbian could only guide her effort over the bar as the two sides were left to share the spoils.
Furness fires to hold Blues
Rachel Furness’ strike rescued a point for Newcastle United as they held Birmingham City to 1-1 draw.
Blues took the lead in the 27th minute thanks to a clinical Simone Magill header and the forward came close to adding a second had her effort not been stopped by Newcastle keeper Claudia Moan.
Magill then looked to turn provider for Rebecca Holloway, but the defender was denied a first goal for the club by Moan.
Down the other end of the pitch, Newcastle levelled the scores when Furness rose highest to meet Freya Gregory’s free-kick.
The result leaves second-placed Birmingham City two points off the top while Newcastle climb into fifth.
Saints survive Blades
Southampton survived a second-half fightback from Sheffield United to relegate the Blades into the third tier with a 3-2 win at Bramall Lane.
Lucia Kendall headed Saints in front after 21 minutes before Jacqui Hand equalised for Sheffield United five minutes after the restart when she reacted sharpest to a loose ball in the box.
Down the other end of the pitch, Southampton restore their lead when skipper Jemma Purfield bundled the ball into the back of the net after a goalmouth scramble.
Georgia Mullett then added a third with her first goal in Saints colours before Abbie Lafayette opened her own account for the Blades with the last kick of the game after converting from the spot.
Lasses leave it late
Katy Watson was the woman of the hour for Sunderland after scoring five-minutes into injury-time to secure all three points for the Lasses in a 3-2 win at Bristol City.
The hosts struck first at Ashton Gate through Lexi Lloyd-Smith moments after kick-off before Ellen Jones replied back with a well-timed volley on the stroke of half-time.
Lloyd-Smith then doubled her tally with a no-nonsense finish into the bottom corner of the net, only for Jones to do the same wither another volley ten minutes from time.
Watson then completed the comeback with the last kick of the game when she finished off a counter-attacking move to see seventh-placed Sunderland move within three points off the Robins.
Pompey run rampant over Rovers
Portsmouth sealed their place in next season’s Championship with a fine 4-0 defeat of Blackburn Rovers.
Sophie Quirk opened the scoring when she turned home Megan Hornby’s low cross after 16 minutes.
Hornby then added to her side’s tally just ahead of the break before Quirk bagged her brace by firing into an empty net after rounding Alexandra Brooks.
Quirk then turned provider for Emma Thompson’s first goal in Pompey colours to finish the job.
