The third round of the Subway Players Cup fixtures got underway over the weekend, as 12 Barclays Women's Super League sides faced off against each other.
Four of the six ties went to penalties, with little to separate the second-tier outfits in 90 minutes, although one team earned valuable derby bragging rights.
And the action kept fans glued to their seats until the final whistle, with Watford's Pheobie Poole and Burnley's Alethea Paul scoring dramatic added-time goals.
The top spot is still shared between Manchester United, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Liverpool and London City Lionesses, but Burnley have joined the leaders, and Everton, with a perfect record so far.
Watford 2-2 Leicester (3-0 penalties)
The first fixture of Round Three was full of drama as Watford left it late to secure a draw before earning a bonus-point draw from a perfect penalty shootout.
Phoebie Poole struck at the death to force penalties, where Watford saved all three Leicester spot-kicks to seal victory.
Poole, a Welsh international, struck in the 91st minute to level the scores at 2-2, cancelling out Jessie Stapleton’s would-be winner after previous goals from Leicester’s Arya Dennis and Watford’s Poppy Wilson.
But goalkeeper Naomi Williams was the hero of the shootout. She saved three consecutive Leicester penalties, meaning converted attempts from Poole, Anna Filbey and Madison Perry secured Watford's win.
The shootout victory earned Watford a bonus point and will arrive as a timely confidence boost ahead of their home fixture against Barclay’s Women’s Super League 2 side Durham on Sunday, 25 October.
Their next Cup outing is against Ipswich on Saturday, 31 October, while Leicester are also in action against a BWSL 2 side a day later when they face Southampton.
Newcastle 0-1 Sunderland
The most eye-catching fixture of the round was a Tyne-Wear derby between an in-form Newcastle United and an equally on-song Sunderland.
Newcastle, the BWSL 2 leaders, hosted the game in front of 2,773 supporters at Gateshead International Stadium but did not make full use of home advantage.
Katie Kitching’s goal early in the second half - which was well-finished into the corner by danger player Katy Watson’s cutback - proved enough for the Black Cats to earn their first derby win of the season.
Newcastle, who won both iterations of this derby during the 2025/26 WSL2 season, had a golden chance to level the scores in the second half when they were awarded a penalty; however, Noa Schumacher was equal to Martha Thomas’ spot-kick.
This was also Sunderland's first Subway Players Cup victory of the season. There is no better way to get going in a competition than by beating your rivals!
Newcastle will get a chance to right this wrong when they visit Barclays Women's Super League side Everton on Wednesday, 21 October. Sunderland do not play again until they host Sheffield United on Sunday, 1 November.
Burnley 3-2 Durham Women
Despite a difficult start to life in the BWSL 2 following promotion this season, Burnley made a winning start in the Subway Players Cup by dramatically beating Durham at Turf Moor.
Alethea Paul sealed a historic win for Burnley in the 94th, tucking the ball into the corner after Durham had battled back from two goals down with a spirited second half performance.
After Jamie Finn and Emma Siddall had put the Clarets two goals up in the first half, Durham, who are yet to win this season, could have crumbled, yet they hit back with goals from Sarah Wilson and Angela Addision.
Yet, Willie Kirk's side were unable to complete a fantastic comeback and will get another shot to end their winless run when they host Birmingham in this competition on Wednesday, 21 October. Burnley welcome Aston Villa.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Ipswich Town (7-6 penalties)
Like Burnley, Wolves were making their debut in this competition, and marked the occasion with a bonus point from their entertaining draw with Ipswich Town.
The Tractor Girls will be disappointed to have earned just one point, having shot to a 2-0 lead inside 34 minutes through goals from Jenna Slattery and Paige Peake.
At that stage, it looked as though this Subway Players Cup tie would follow a similar pattern to the league meeting between these sides, which Ipswich won 3-1.
However, Melissa Lawley and Abbie Jenner - who scored a stunning long-range strike - hit back to send the game to a penalty shootout, where Alex Brooks saved two Ipswich penalties.
Wolves will hope to take a full quota of points in their next cup outing at home to Brighton on Wednesday, 28 October, while Ipswich face a return to cup action against Watford on Saturday, 31 October.
Sheffield United 0-0 Nottingham Forest (4-2 penalties)
After a heavy 10-1 defeat to Manchester United in their Subway Players Cup opener, Sheffield United responded well by earning a bonus point against Nottingham Forest.
In a game of few chances, the Blades will feel as though they should have taken a full quota of three points, as Amy Andrews missed from the spot and Ella Kinzett rattled the crossbar.
But a first clean sheet of the season gave Stephen Healy's side the chance to claim a bonus point, which they duly secured, with Gracie Pearse converting the decisive spot kick. Sheffield United next face Everton on Wednesday, 28 October.
Missed efforts from Lois Shooter and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah proved costly for Forest, who are yet to taste defeat in the BWSL 2 this season and are next in Cup action at home to Burnley on Sunday, 1 November.
Bristol City 1-1 Southampton (4-3 penalties)
Another all-BWSL 2 tie that went to penalties was the meeting between mid-table sides Bristol City and Southampton at Robins High Performance Centre.
In a rematch from the league, which Bristol City won just before the international break, the Robins were again the happiest side when all was said and done.
Though Grace Moloney did keep out Lotta Lindström, successful penalties from Emily Syme, Emma Bissell, Marine Defeur and Maria Farrugia earned the Robins a bonus point.
Southampton will take some pleasure from this tie, however, as club captain Emma Harries scored her first Saints goal after a difficult string of injuries since joining the club last season
The former England youth international opened the scoring before Katie Robinson levelled, and Harries will now look to continue her momentum when Saints host Crystal Palace in another Subway Players Cup fixture on Wednesday evening. Bristol City head to Charlton on the same evening.
