Birmingham City lift BWSL2 Trophy, Palace promoted second. 

Here's your Matchweek 22 wrap up from the concluding weekend.

The Barclays WSL2 season came to a dramatic conclusion on a final day that delivered everything: a title decider, promotion celebrations, individual milestones and the last twists in the final league table.

Birmingham City produced the performance of the day, beating Charlton Athletic at The Valley to secure the title and seal their return to the Barclays Women’s Super League after four years away. Crystal Palace also completed their immediate return to the top flight in emphatic fashion, coming from behind to beat Portsmouth 6-1 and finish second, while Charlton must now turn their attention to the BWSL play-off against Leicester City.

Elsewhere, Ipswich Town ended their first BWSL2 campaign with a third straight win, Durham rounded off a difficult season with a victory over Newcastle United, Southampton signed off in style at Nottingham Forest and Bristol City finished as the division’s top scorers after a ruthless win at Bramall Lane. Below, we take a look back at all the final-day action across the division.

Charlton Athletic 0-2 Birmingham City

Birmingham City are back in the BWSL after producing a title-winning performance when it mattered most, beating Charlton Athletic 2-0 at The Valley to finish the season as BWSL2 champions.

On a day when the stakes could hardly have been higher, Amy Merricks’ side delivered with authority. This was first versus second, a straight shootout for the title and automatic promotion, and the Blues handled the occasion with composure, control and cutting edge. Charlton, backed by their biggest home crowd in 20 years, started brightly, but it was the visitors who gradually took command and looked the more dangerous side in the decisive moments.

The Addicks had early openings, with Charlotte Newsham delivering dangerously and Jodie Hutton firing over, before Ellie Mason headed across goal from a set-piece. But Birmingham’s threat on the break soon became clear. Lily Crosthwaite and Océane Hurtré began to find space in wide areas and after Hurtré had already been denied at the back post by Sophie Whitehouse, the breakthrough arrived in the 27th minute.

It was a goal of real quality. Hurtré battled down the left and delivered a superb cross towards the back post, where Wilma Leidhammar rose to head Birmingham into the lead. In a game of this magnitude, the first goal was always likely to be crucial, and it shifted the momentum firmly towards the visitors.

Leidhammar almost doubled the advantage before the break, forcing Whitehouse into an excellent save as her free-kick was tipped onto the crossbar, while Batcheba Louis fired wide on the rebound. Charlton were still in the contest at half-time, but City had begun to impose themselves in the areas that mattered most.

The second goal arrived eight minutes after the restart and felt decisive. A dangerous corner caused problems in the Charlton box and Leidhammar reacted quickest to bring the loose ball under control before turning and firing home her second of the afternoon. It was another clinical moment from a player who has transformed Birmingham’s promotion push since arriving in January, taking her tally to seven league goals in the second half of the campaign.

From there, the visitors showed the other side of their title credentials. They defended with discipline, managed the game intelligently and prevented Charlton from building sustained pressure. Neve Herron, Martha Harris and Rebecca McKenna were composed at the back, while Lucy Thomas produced an important late save to preserve the clean sheet during 13 minutes of stoppage time.

The numbers reflected City’s superiority in the key areas. Possession was relatively even, but Merricks’ side carried the greater attacking threat, registering 17 shots to Charlton’s nine and five on target to the hosts’ two. They also had more touches in the opposition box and were outstanding defensively, with a 91.7 per cent tackle success rate underlining how well they protected their lead once ahead.

For Charlton, it was a painful afternoon. Karen Hills’ side had ended the regular season with the league’s best goals-conceded average and joint-highest clean sheet tally, but they could not contain the Blues’ attacking quality when it mattered most. Their promotion hopes are not over entirely, though, as they will now face Leicester City in the BWSL play-off on May 23 for a place in the top flight.

For City, however, this was the moment everything came together. After last season’s final-day heartbreak, they returned to a winner-takes-all fixture and delivered. Champions, promoted and back in the WSL after a four-year absence.

Crystal Palace 6-1 Portsmouth

Crystal Palace sealed promotion back to the Barclays Women’s Super League in emphatic style, coming from behind to beat Portsmouth 6-1 at a sun-swept VBS Community Stadium and secure an immediate return to the top flight.

With so many final-day scenarios still possible, the simplest task for Jo Potter’s side was clear: win, and promotion would be theirs. They did exactly that, recovering from an early scare to produce a devastating attacking display that confirmed their place in the BWSL.

The two teams’ form books could hardly have been more contrasting ahead of kick-off. Palace had won 11 of their previous 13 matches to surge into promotion contention, while bottom side Portsmouth arrived with relegation already confirmed and only pride left to play for. Yet, it was Pompey who briefly threatened to spoil the party.

Ava Rowbotham forced Shae Yáñez into an excellent save inside two minutes, before Meg Hornby swung the resulting corner directly into the net to give the visitors a shock early lead. For a few moments, the script had been ripped up.

Palace’s response, though, was immediate and relentless. Abbie Larkin and Molly-Mae Sharpe were both denied by Jess Gray as the hosts swarmed forward, before Sharpe eventually found the equaliser in the 11th minute, firing home from close range after the ball dropped kindly in the box. From there, it felt like only a matter of time before the Eagles took control.

Although Jay Sadler’s side managed to reach half-time level, the second half quickly became a showcase of Palace’s attacking quality. The introduction of Lola Brown proved decisive, with the 18-year-old providing the spark that opened the game up. She threaded a superb pass through for Ashleigh Weerden, who finished brilliantly from a tight angle to make it 2-1 early in the half.

That goal broke Portsmouth’s resistance. Weerden added her second soon after, controlling Brown’s cross-field pass before finishing with composure, then turned provider for Kirsty Howat, whose low strike into the bottom corner made it four before the hour. Palace were moving the ball with confidence, stretching Pompey repeatedly and attacking with the authority of a side determined not to let the moment slip.

There was still more to come. Annabel Blanchard added the fifth after being played in by My Cato, strolling through and finishing calmly, before Elise Hughes headed home Brown’s third assist of the afternoon to complete the scoring. Portsmouth kept battling and prevented further damage, but by then Palace’s promotion was all but secured.

The statistics showed just how ruthless the Eagles were in the areas that mattered. Pompey actually edged possession with 51.7 per cent, but Palace carried by far the greater threat, registering 24 shots, 13 of them on target, to Pompey’s seven. The Eagles also had 44 touches in the opposition box compared to Portsmouth’s 11, underlining how consistently they turned attacks into danger.

Individual performances matched the occasion. Weerden ended the campaign with the highest assist tally in the division, with 10, and more goal contributions than any other player in the league, with 17. Brown’s three assists from the bench were another standout feature, while Palace’s five different goalscorers reflected the attacking variety that has powered their promotion push.

For Portsmouth, it was a difficult end to a tough season, although Hornby’s early goal gave them one final moment to celebrate before attention turns to rebuilding in the third tier.

For Palace, though, this was a day of celebration. They needed to win, responded to adversity, and delivered their biggest performance when it mattered most. Back in the BWSL and fully deserving of it.

Ipswich Town 2-1 Sunderland

Ipswich Town ended their first BWSL2 campaign on a high, securing a third straight victory with a 2-1 win over Sunderland at the JobServe Community Stadium.

For David Wright’s side, it was a fitting end to a much-improved second half of the season. Having already secured their place in the division with a stunning win over Birmingham City last weekend, the Tractor Girls backed it up with another strong result to finish ninth, a position that looked far from certain earlier in the campaign.

The hosts struck first in the 13th minute through Ava Baker and it was a goal of real individual quality. Grace Neville found her on the edge of the area, Baker shifted the ball neatly past her marker and curled a composed finish into the bottom-left corner. It gave Town early control on the scoreboard, even if the contest itself remained finely balanced.

Melanie Reay’s side responded well and carried threat of their own, with Mared Griffiths twice going close in the first half. Her best opportunity came when Katie Kitching’s delivery from the right was flicked onto the post, with Town surviving a dangerous spell before the break. Ipswich also had chances to extend their lead, most notably through Rianna Dean, who was denied by Demi Lambourne after being picked out in the centre.

The second half was slower to open up, with much of the game contested in midfield and neither side able to build sustained pressure for long spells. Sunderland eventually found their way back into it in the 68th minute when Jessica Brown won possession high and slipped in Eleanor Dale. Her first effort was parried by Lysianne Proulx, but Dale reacted quickest to finish at the second attempt and bring the Black Cats level.

At that stage, the game looked as though it might drift towards a draw, but the hosts found one more decisive moment late on. Substitute Lucy Ashworth-Clifford delivered a dangerous free-kick into the area and Kenzie Weir timed her run perfectly to head beyond Lambourne in the 86th minute. It was the kind of set-piece detail that can settle close games and it ensured Town finished the season on a high.

The statistics reflected how evenly matched the contest was. Both sides registered 11 shots, with four on target each, but they approached the game in different ways. Sunderland had far more of the ball, with 63 per cent possession and better pass accuracy, but the Tractor Girls made better use of their territory, recording more touches in the opposition box and showing greater strength in the air, winning 14 aerial duels to Sunderland’s seven.

For the Black Cats, the defeat brings a steady but slightly flat end to the campaign, as they finish eighth. Emily Scarr ends as their top scorer with six goals and nine goal contributions, while Dale’s equaliser at least offered a reminder of their attacking threat.

For Town, though, this was a positive final note. Dean finishes as the club’s top scorer with five, while Sophie Peskett led the way for goal contributions with 10. More importantly, Wright’s side end the season safe, improving and full of belief after a run of three straight wins.

Newcastle United 0-1 Durham

Durham ended a difficult season on a high as Amber-Keegan Stobbs’ first-half goal secured a 1-0 win over local rivals Newcastle United at the Gateshead International Stadium.

For Newcastle, it was a frustrating final-day defeat on an emotional afternoon, following the announcement that midfielder Molly Pike is retiring from football for personal reasons. The Magpies arrived looking to finish strongly, but despite controlling large spells of the game, they struggled to turn possession into meaningful chances and ended the campaign sixth in the BWSL2.

United started brightly in the heat, with Jemma Purfield’s long ball picking out Jordan Nobbs early on, only for the midfielder’s header to drop narrowly wide. Morgan Gautrat also tested Catriona Sheppard after Beth Lumsden’s delivery was recycled by Emily Murphy, but Durham’s goalkeeper gathered comfortably.

The decisive moment arrived five minutes before the break. Michaela Foster’s long ball split the Newcastle defence and found former Magpies midfielder Stobbs, who took a touch inside Aoife Mannion before calmly lifting the ball over Anna Tamminen. It was a composed finish and, as it turned out, the moment that settled the game.

Tanya Oxtoby’s side tried to respond, but the Wildcats held firm. Sheppard preserved the lead before half-time by holding Murphy’s effort and Durham then managed the second half with discipline and composure. The tempo dropped after the break, with United seeing plenty of the ball but struggling to find the creativity or cutting edge needed to break the visitors down.

Durham also had opportunities to extend their lead. Mollie Lambert won possession and drove forward from the halfway line, only to fire over, while Foster later headed over from a promising position after Newcastle failed to clear a corner. At the other end, United’s best chances came through Lumsden and substitute Emilia Larsson, but neither could properly trouble Sheppard.

The statistics told the story of the Magpies’ frustration. They dominated possession with 62.6 per cent and had 11 shots to Durham’s five, as well as more touches in the opposition box, but only managed two efforts on target. Durham, by contrast, scored with their only shot on target, showing the kind of efficiency that United lacked. The Wildcats were also dominant in the air, winning 16 aerial duels to United’s eight, which helped them defend their lead and disrupt the hosts’ rhythm.

Nobbs and Emily Murphy finish as Newcastle’s joint-top league scorers with six goals apiece, while Nobbs also ends the season with six assists and 12 goal contributions from midfield, underlining her importance across the campaign.

For Neil Readfearn’s side, the result capped the campaign with a win and confirmed a 10th-place finish after securing survival the previous week. For United, sixth place represents a solid campaign, but one that ends with a sense of what might have been after a final-day performance where control did not translate into reward.

Nottingham Forest 0-3 Southampton

Southampton ended their 2025/26 BWSL2 campaign in style with a convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, a result that secured a fifth-place finish in Simon Parker’s first season in charge.

The Saints could hardly have asked for a better start. Inside the opening minute, Abbie Ferguson’s high press forced a turnover and Michaela McAlonie punished Forest immediately, rifling a fierce effort in off the crossbar from the edge of the box. It was a stunning finish and the perfect way for Southampton to set the tone.

That early goal gave the visitors real confidence and they spent much of the first half carrying the greater threat. McAlonie and Aimee Palmer both tried their luck from distance, while Forest struggled to find any rhythm in the final third. The Reds’ best chance of the opening period came through former Saint Rachel Rowe, whose looping header from a Chloe Mustaki delivery was brilliantly tipped over by Fran Stenson.

Southampton responded to that scare with a second goal just before the half-hour mark. After a free-kick into the box was kept alive by Ellie Brazil, the ball dropped for Megan Collett, who hooked a clever first-time finish into the far corner. It was another moment of sharp technique from a Saints side who looked far more clinical in the final third.

Forest showed more urgency after the break and briefly looked capable of forcing their way back into the contest. Alana Murphy’s inswinging corner struck the woodwork, while the hosts pressed higher and tried to test Southampton’s defensive shape. But Parker’s side stayed composed, defended their box well and gradually regained control.

The third goal arrived through Mary Bashford, who reacted quickest after Tegan McGowan’s initial effort was saved, tapping home to complete the scoring and finish the season as Southampton’s top league scorer with eight goals. It was a fitting final-day contribution from one of the Saints’ most reliable attacking players.

There were more positives for Parker’s side beyond the scoreline. Emma Harries made her long-awaited return from injury after returning ahead of schedule, while 16-year-old academy midfielder Saffia Rae was also introduced late on for her senior debut. On a day already defined by a strong team performance, those moments added extra significance.

The statistics reflected the contrast between the Reds’ control of possession and Southampton’s cutting edge. Carly Davies’ side edged the ball with 59.2 per cent possession and moved it accurately, but the Saints were far more dangerous with it, registering 17 shots to Forest’s six and 23 touches in the opposition box to the hosts’ 11. Forest’s impressive pass accuracy and tackle success showed their ability to compete in phases, but Southampton carried the greater threat where it mattered.

For Forest, the defeat was a disappointing end to an otherwise positive first season in the second tier. Carly Davies’ side finish seventh, just seven points shy of the top four, and can still take plenty of encouragement from their campaign.

Southampton, meanwhile, end fifth after a much-improved season under Parker. Bashford finishes as their top league scorer, while Brazil and Jess Simpson share the lead for goal contributions with nine each, a particularly impressive return from Simpson at full-back.

Sheffield United 0-4 Bristol City

Bristol City ended their season in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, as Rio Hardy’s early opener and a Lexi Lloyd-Smith hat-trick secured a commanding final-day victory.

For Charlotte Healy’s side, it was the perfect way to sign off the campaign. Promotion ultimately proved out of reach, but the Robins finished fourth, only one place below the play-off spot and underlined their attacking quality once again. Their four goals took them to 47 for the league campaign, making them the division’s top scorers, and this was another reminder of just how dangerous they can be when their forward players click.

City started brightly and quickly put the Blades under pressure. Marine Dafeur’s curling free-kick was pushed away by Charlotte Parker-Smith, but the breakthrough soon arrived. Emily Syme drove forward, skipped away from challenges and found Hardy just inside the box, with the striker rifling a left-footed finish into the top corner for her 10th league goal of the season.

The Blades did have moments of their own, particularly through Lauren Thomas down the left and Amy Andrews in central areas. Andrews forced Fran Bentley into a smart save and later struck the post with a powerful effort, but the Blades lacked the clinical edge City showed at the other end.

Hardy had the chance to double the lead from the spot after Jess Reavill conceded a penalty, only for Parker-Smith to guess correctly and produce an excellent save. The United goalkeeper impressed throughout, making a string of strong stops, but she could not prevent City from adding a second before the break. Katie Robinson found space on the right and picked out Lloyd-Smith, who swept home first time to give the visitors clear control.

The second half followed a similar pattern. City dominated territory and repeatedly forced Parker-Smith into action, with Hardy, Lloyd-Smith and Syme all threatening. United briefly sparked into life after the introductions of Simone Sherwood and Shauna Guyatt, and Guyatt did have the ball in the net after a swift counter-attack, only for the offside flag to deny her.

The Robins, though, finished the stronger. Lloyd-Smith added her second after winning the ball high up the pitch and bending a composed effort into the corner, before completing her first career hat-trick deep into stoppage time from close range following a corner. It was a fitting end to her season, as the treble took her to 11 league goals and secured the BWSL2 golden boot.

The statistics reflected City’s superiority. They had 62.5 per cent possession, 19 shots to United’s nine, and a remarkable 13 efforts on target. Their dominance in attacking areas was even clearer in the box, where they recorded 49 touches compared to Sheffield United’s 12. The Blades competed aerially and had moments of promise, but City’s quality, sharpness and composure in the final third proved decisive.

There were positives for both teams beyond the scoreline. For the Robins, Issi Hebard returned from injury for the first time since November, while Syme ended with nine league assists after another influential creative display. For United, 16-year-old Mollie Austin made her senior debut late on, offering a glimpse towards the future after a season that ended with survival secured.

The Blades finish 11th, four points clear of the drop, with Andrews’ nine league goals proving vital in keeping them in the division. City, meanwhile, end fourth with the league’s strongest scoring record and plenty to build on, even if promotion was ultimately just beyond them.

Word credit: Ella Barber