On the final day of the season, Birmingham City clinched a 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Bristol City.
Birmingham City stormed to a thrilling victory over champions Bristol City on the final day of the Barclays Women’s Championship season.
The Robins had already sealed their promotion to the Barclays Women’s Super League last week, but could not sign off in style against a Blues side who sealed the runners-up spot with their 2-0 win.
A late goal saw Durham fly up the table and London City Lionesses finished their season with an emphatic victory.
Birmingham finish on a high
Lucy Quinn and Charlie Devlin both struck to give Birmingham City a 2-0 win over already promoted Bristol City and secure second place.
Blues started the more energetic and Quinn rewarded her team by opening the scoring on 14 minutes, getting on the end of a Devlin pass and firing it into the bottom corner.
On the stroke of half-time, Devlin doubled Birmingham’s lead, her initial header saved but on the receiving end of the rebound to smash it in before the break.
The visitors had a point to prove early in the second half, with Naomi Layzell excelling in defence and attack but the league winners were unable to salvage anything as Birmingham finished their season with seven wins in a row.
Bradley leaves it late
Dee Bradley’s last-minute winner saw Durham end the season with a 2-1 win in a pulsating encounter against Lewes.
Nat Johnson had put the hosts deservedly ahead after half an hour, but the Wildcats got back on level terms through Beth Hepple before Bradley struck late on.
Lewes started the brighter and were rewarded in the 31st minute through Johnson before the visitors back on level terms as Hepple’s free kick took a deflection to loop over Whitehouse.
But it was Bradley who headed home to steal a 2-1 victory in the 94th minute.
It meant Durham leapfrogged Lewes in the final standings, with the Wildcats ending the campaign seventh ahead of the hosts in ninth.
Lionesses roar to final victory
London City Lionesses ended their Championship season in emphatic fashion by thrashing relegated Coventry United 9-0 at Prince’s Park.
The Lionesses finished their campaign in third with Jamie-Lee Napier notching a hat-trick inside 17 minutes on a sublime final outing of the season.
Skipper Harley Bennett clinched the fourth as Amy Rodgers got on the scoresheet for the second consecutive match, tapping in from close range to make it 5-0.
Final scores came through Atlanta Primus, Shanade Hopcroft and a Sarah Ewens double as Coventry struggled to keep pace against a ruthless Lionesses side.
Sweetman-Kirk seals the deal
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk fired Sheffield United to a 1-0 victory over Southampton to cap a pleasing ending to their season.
In the final test of the campaign, it was all square at the break as both sides provided a physical challenge at St Mary’s.
The deadlock was finally broken as Sweetman-Kirk made it stick on the hour mark, Cuzack teasing the ball into the box for the striker to tap home.
Southampton threatened in the closing stages of the match, with a clinical block from Molly Graham stopping the hosts from finding their feet in the Blades box and ensuring a well-deserved three points on the road.
Palace and Charlton end on equal terms
Elise Hughes earned Crystal Palace a share of the spoils at south London rivals Charlton Athletic, as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at The Valley.
Between them, they kept the first half goalless, but the deadlock was broken by Charlton after 56 minutes when Freda Ayisi played the ball through for Melissa Johnson, who prodded the ball home.
Palace were level nine minutes later, however, as Anna Filbey’s long-range effort was deflected into the path of Hughes, who made no mistake in dispatching into the top corner to ensure both sides took a point on the final day.
Rovers are too good for Sunderland
Megan Hornby’s first-half strike fired Blackburn Rovers to a 1-0 win away over Sunderland.
Hornby grabbed the only goal of the game after 20 minutes with a superb individual effort, producing a cool finish after a stunning solo run to ensure Rovers finished 10th, one place ahead of their opponents.
The forward powered down the middle of the pitch before finishing over Claudia Moan from inside the box, nearly grabbing her second 10 minutes later, but putting her shot wide after being found in the box by Lauren Thomas.
Sunderland looked to get back into the game after the break, but they were unable to find a way through and ended the season with defeat.
