FA Women’s National League
Northern Premier Division
Burnley FC Women are two wins away from landing the title, following their 2-0 win against Halifax FC Women at Turf Moor. The Clarets needed to be patient against a dogged Halifax side but with twenty minutes remaining, they made the breakthrough courtesy of Jade Richards and Millie Ravening went on to seal three more important points with the second.
Wolverhampton Wanderers kept their chances alive when they beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0. In front of a crowd of 2,127 at Molineux, Amber Hughes scored the only goal of the game with fifteen minutes left and keep themselves four points behind Burnley, and with a game in hand.
Rugby Borough are on the verge of a top three finish after they came from behind to win 2-1 against Sporting Khalsa. Macy Winters gave Khalsa the lead just before half time and they held on until the late stages of the game, when Mai Moncaster levelled the scores and Lily Greenslade grabbed an injury time winner.
Loughborough Lightning gave their survival hopes a huge shot in the arm, thanks to a 1-0 success against Stoke City. Ella Jarowicki netted a second half winner to bring Loughborough level on points with Halifax FC Women, both teams having two matches left to play.
Middlesbrough and Liverpool Feds met each other in a mid-table clash at the Riverside Stadium and honours were even as the teams battled out a 1-1 draw in front of an attendance of 1,249. Armani Maxwell was on target for 'Boro, whilst the Feds netted through Meg Boydell.
Derby County moved themselves closer towards safety, courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Hull City. Rebecca May and Hannah Ward ensured that the Ewes were two goals ahead at the interval, before Bryony Donnison wrapped up the win with the third goal during the second half.
Southern Premier Division
While their two main rivals were facing each other in the League Cup Final the day before, Watford took full advantage to run out 5-0 winners over Exeter City and open up a lead of four points at the top. Madison Perry opened the scoring on the stroke of half time and she added a second after the break, with Anna Filbey, Flo Fyfe and Megan Chandler also getting on the scoresheet to leave Watford requiring one win from their two remaining games to clinch the title.
Oxford Utd continue to finish the season in good form and their 2-0 victory over Hashtag Utd strengthened their chances of ending up in fourth place. Both goals came in the first half, Nicole Barrett and Nicola Gibson both finding the net in the spell leading up towards half time.
Gwalia Utd took a huge stride towards safety when they won 1-0 away to Real Bedford. Molly Kehoe scored the only goal of the game, two minutes from time, to take Gwalia four points clear of the drop zone with two matches left to play.
Division One North
A double from Louise Biggins, plus a Laura Elford goal, fired leaders Huddersfield Town to a 2-0 victory over Chorley, which ensured they remained a single point clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand.
Leeds Utd stay hard on Huddersfield's heels in second after they ran out 5-1 winners away to York City. Darcie Greene gave them a second minute lead and Amy Woodruff netted a first half double, either side of a reply from Amelia O'Flaherty, before Sian Gibrill-Keating and Brittany Sanderson put the seal on the result after the break.
Durham Cestria's chances of a top three finish received a knock when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Norton & Stockton Ancients. The Wildcats did take a two-goal lead in the first half through Emily Hutchinson and Grace Monkhouse but after the interval, Bianca Owens reduced the arrears for Norton and a late own goal earned them a share of the spoils.
Wythenshawe returned to winning ways with a 2-1 success against Chester-le-Street Town. Rachael Dunlop gave them an early lead which was cancelled out by Kacie Elson, before the Cheshire side took the lead through a late winning strike from Ciara Boylan.
Blackburn Rovers gave their survival hopes a glimmer of hope when they defeated Doncaster Rovers Belles 2-1. Lauren Sharples gave Rovers a first half lead and after an own goal brought the scores level on the stroke of half time, Chung Man Karri Chan gave Blackburn their second league win of the season when she grabbed a late winner.
On Wednesday night, fresh from their success in the League Plate Final, Cheadle Town Stingers returned to league action with a 1-0 victory over Wythenshawe. Anya McCready scored the only goal of the game to leave third placed Cheadle five points behind leaders Huddersfield, with a game in hand.
Division One Midlands
Peterborough Utd are one win away from landing the league title, following their 1-0 victory against Barnsley Women. Kira Rai scored the only goal of the game, just after the half hour mark, to take the Posh Women to the brink of promotion.
Boldmere St Michaels are not giving up the fight in second place, and kept their hopes alive by winning 5-1 away to Kidderminster Harriers. Annie Ackroyd and Olivia Mitcham gave the Mikes a two-goal lead which was reduced ahead of half time by Seanna McCann-Lloyd. Janelle Straker restored the two-goal advantage, before Ackroyd completed her double and Martha Quirk rounded off the scoring with the fifth goal.
Leafield Athletic follow on in third, they returned from Notts County with a 4-2 victory under their belts. Leonie Joyce spearheaded the win for Leafield by hitting a hat-trick and Lucy Davies added the other goal.
Worcester City boosted their chances of a fifth place finish, thanks to a 2-1 win away to Sheffield FC. Annabel Sime and Jessica Fassnidge were both on target for Worcester, with Lexie Butterworth replying.
Stourbridge remain in the bottom two and are still one point away from safety after their clash with Northampton Town finished in a goalless draw, virtually banishing any lingering relegation fears for the visitors.
Sutton Coldfield Town are still in the safety zone but were held to a 2-2 draw by Lincoln Utd, who picked up their second league point of the campaign. Charlotte Worth gave Sutton a first half lead but United hit back strongly and led through Lucy Farrow and Isabella Bogg, before Freya Smith salvaged a valuable point for Sutton with fourteen minutes remaining.
Division One South East
Fulham clinched the title in style with a 3-0 victory against Milton Keynes Dons in front of an attendance of 1,570 at Craven Cottage. All of the goals came in the first half, Rebecca Stormer opening the scoring before they went on to add further goals through Ellie Olds and Stella Gandee-Morgan.
Fulham were confirmed as Champions with the news that second placed Norwich City were beaten 2-1 by Chatham Town. A first half double from Ellie Jeffkins kept the Chats on course for a top three place and condemned the Canaries to only their third league defeat of the season, despite a goal from Natasha Snelling.
London Bees remain just above Chatham in third, thanks to a 3-1 win away to Cambridge Utd. The match attracted a crowd of 1,563 to the Abbey Stadium but it was the Bees who were to spoil the home team's party with Shamoy Campbell netting twice and Samantha Lanza Gabian the other, the U's consolation coming from Mollie Coupar.
With eleven draws between them this season, it was perhaps no surprise that the match between Luton Town and Queen's Park Rangers ended goalless, the point keeping Rangers in fifth place.
The draw means that Actonians Ladies have climbed back above Luton and into the top half following their 1-0 victory against Chesham Utd. Abigail Kargbo settled matters when she scored the only goal of the game with ten minutes remaining.
AFC Sudbury are destined to finish in the bottom two places after they went down to a 1-0 defeat away to Dulwich Hamlet. Leila Emmerson netted the game's solitary goal for Hamlet on the quarter hour mark.
Division One South West
With title rivals Moneyfields involved in the League Plate Final, Swindon Town had the opportunity to increase their lead at the top to five points but instead they went down to their second defeat, beaten 1-0 by Bridgwater Utd. Abbie Carslake scored what might be a highly significant goal in the title race as the game entered injury time, her long range strike also providing Bridgwater with a result which takes them up to third place.
Maidenhead Utd remain on course for their highest ever finish in the league, despite their match with Marine Academy Plymouth finishing level at 1-1. Megan Harper fired Maidenhead in front early on but Marine hit back after the break and an equaliser from Sienna Gilbert all but guarantees their safety for next season.
Abingdon Utd powered back into the top half of the table on the back of a 4-0 victory over Worthing, who are now destined to finish in the bottom two. Molly Lygo-Jackson put Abingdon ahead on the stroke of half time and they went on to add further goals during the second half through Erin Hartigan, Holly Sellwood and Mimi Hodges.
Keynsham Town have virtually banished any lingering relegation fears after three goals in the final quarter of the game took them to a 3-0 success away to mid-table Ascot Utd. Megan Bible opened the scoring for Keynsham midway through the second half and they went on to crown the victory with further strikes from Mia Mugford and Brooke Stirrup.
Portishead Town kept their survival hopes alive, thanks to a tense 2-1 victory over Bournemouth Sports which narrows the gap between the two teams to four points. Adele Brown and Mia Blazey scored first half goals to give Portishead their fourth league win of the season, despite a Kelly Fripp header having given Sports a lifeline on the hour.
Reserve Section round-up...
Stoke City have gone to the top of the Northern Division with a 5-1 victory away to Hull City. Ella Starling was on target twice for Stoke along with Ruby Millington, Kaya Anderson and an own goal. Stoke head the table on goal difference from Middlesbrough who were 3-1 winners at Huddersfield Town thanks to Lily-May Readman (2) and Ellie-May Callander.
Honours were even between the top two in the Premier Division, with Watford and Ipswich Town battling out a 1-1 draw. Kiera Joseph scored to keep Watford two points ahead at the top, after Phoebe Love had given Ipswich a first half lead.
In the Championship Division. Queen's Park Rangers notched up their first win, 2-0 away to Bridgwater Utd with Adonia McNeilly and Abigail Bird on the scoresheet.
