Women’s Football: Three top performers from the weekend

Manchester City cranked up the pressure on Arsenal in the top division, as they drew level on points with the league leaders after a 1-0 win at home to Birmingham City.

The result meant Chelsea leapfrogged the midlands outfit into third in the WSL after their fifth consecutive win, scoring four in the last 25 minutes as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion.

In the second-tier Manchester United lost their unbeaten record thanks to an inspired performance from Durham, who moved up to third.

Here, we take a look at three star performers who were at the forefront of the action this weekend.

Beth England (Chelsea)

Emma Hayes’ side may appear to have had a comfortable victory against Brighton but they had struggled to break the deadlock before the hour mark.

England was introduced after 59 minutes and she sparked her team to life with her two goals and an assist, with the kind of performance all substitutes dream of.

The attacker nodded in after Ji So-Yun had pirouetted away from a defender before her lofted diagonal ball found England, who looped her header over keeper Marie Hourihan.

She then returned the favour, helping along Ali Riley’s cross to release Ji before she blasted in.

England added her second goal in stoppage time as she struck Hannah Blundell’s low cross into the back of the net.

Fara Williams (Reading)

The Lionnesses’ record cap holder showed she’s still one of the main threats in the FA Women’s Super League as she bagged a brace in Reading’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

Williams matched the Merseysiders’ Courtney Sweetman-Kirk as they both scored two goals in an entertaining draw.

She twice drew her side level with her strikes, the first a free-kick which she squeezed past Liverpool’s Anke Preuss.

But Williams wasn’t happy with one goal from outside the box, as she blasted in from 30 yards with just minutes left to play to grab her side a point.

Jodie Hutton (Aston Villa)

The 17-year-old grabbed her first senior hat-trick as she led Villa to a 5-1 victory over Sheffield United in the FA Women’s Championship.

Her first was a powerful finish after 40 minutes as a slip from defender Nicole Kemp allowed her a clear sight of Alex Brooks’ goal, where she made no mistake.

Hutton continued to be at the heart of Villa’s attack after the break, as she fought through two challenges and got her shot away, before knocking it in on the rebound after Brooks had saved.

The winger rounded off her hat-trick by showing her penalty box instincts again, as she reacted quickest when Alice Hassall’s long-range effort was parried.

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