Newcastle United continued their perfect start to the season with a comfortable win over rivals Durham in the opening game of the game week.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town and Sunderland extended their unbeaten start to the season, while Wolves and Watford played out an entertaining draw.
Durham 0-3 Newcastle United
In the opening game of the match week, Newcastle continued their perfect start to their BWSL2 campaign with a comfortable win over North East rivals Durham.
It was top against bottom on Sunday lunchtime with the Magpies looking to make it five wins from five and rivals Durham still searching for a first point of the season.
In front of an expectant derby-day crowd, Newcastle looked in control from the off and, after continued pressure, took the lead in the 34th minute when Icelandic international Hildur Antonsdottir scored her first goal for the Magpies.
Jemma Purfield’s corner was pushed away by Durham keeper Cat Sheppard, but Antonsdottir was the quickest to react and fired home to give Newcastle a deserved lead going into half time.
It took twenty minutes for the Magpies to add to their lead after the break when experienced midfielder Jordan Nobbs hammered home after another parried shot from the keeper.
The home side did show some encouraging signs in the second half and Newcastle keeper Anna Tamminen was forced into some saves, but a breakaway goal secured a comfortable away victory for the league leaders.
Beth Lumsden was played through and cut the ball back for Martha Thomas, who finished calmly to extend her lead as the top scorer in the BWSL2 with five in five.
Bristol City 2-1 Southampton
An impressive Bristol City side inflicted defeat upon Southampton for the first time in the BWSL2 this season and leapfrogged them to sit sixth in the table.
Southampton came into this clash with a solid start after one win and three draws backing up a superb defensive record, and took the lead after just 43 seconds when Freya Jupp swept home to open the scoring.
The Saints could’ve added to their lead in the first half and forced Bristol City keeper Francesca Bentley into a couple of smart stops.
The home side came out rejuvenated in the second half, and it took just ten minutes after the break for the equaliser to come.
Finnish striker Lotta Lindstrom pounced on a loose ball to equalise and score her second of the season for the Robins.
The home side piled on the pressure and an excellent block from Milly Mott stopped a second, but it was only a matter of time till the second came for an improved Bristol City.
A superb touch and finish from the experienced Sophie Ingle put the Robins 2-1 up in the 79th minute, and the hosts saw the game out without much trouble.
It brought an end to Southampton’s unbeaten streak and the two teams will do battle again in a fortnight in the Subway Players Cup.
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Burnley
Nottingham Forest continued their unbeaten run to the season with an excellent 2-0 win over Burnley after a double from striker Tuva Espas.
A dominant first half saw the hosts create multiple chances and both Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah and Leticia McKenna saw efforts flash wide of the post.
The deadline was deservedly broken when Boye-Hlorkah twisted in the box and set up Espas to tap home and send the Reds into a first half lead.
Pressure continued to rein in on the Burnley goal, and it took a clearance off the line to stop the hosts doubling their lead.
The second did eventually come when Espas tapped home again to make the scoreline more comfortable for Forest.
The hosts saw the game out and now sit fourth in the BWSL2 after an impressive start to their campaign.
Burnley didn’t manage a shot on target and will need an improvement when they face Sheffield United in their next league match.
Sheffield United 1-2 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town put themselves into 3rd position after a superb away performance at Sheffield United to extend their unbeaten run.
The clash started with pressure from the home side and Amy Andrews was unlucky to see a strike bounce off the bar and Lysianne Proulx made decent saves from both Charlie Devlin and Andrews.
The visitors came out with much more intensity compared to the first and a superb Megan Hornby goal put them one nil up.
Hornby drove from inside her own half before firing over United keeper Sian Rogers and putting Ipswich into a one-goal lead.
The visitors weren’t finished there though and last weekend’s hero Princess Ademiluyi provided the goods yet again with an excellent long distance into the far corner.
United responded through substitute Connie Scofield, who fired home he first ever goal for the club, and the hosts piled pressure onto the Tractor Girls for the final ten minutes.
It wasn’t to be for Sheffield United, who had a late strike deflected wide, and Ipswich ran away narrow winners to secure a third league win in a row.
Sunderland 3-1 Leicester City
Sunderland secured their fourth win in five BWSL2 games to leave them in 2nd place after victory over Leicester City.
It didn’t take long for the scoring to be opened when midfielder Katie Kitching pounced on a loose pass and looped the ball over Katie Keane in the Leicester net to put Sunderland ahead.
The lead only lasted 15 minutes, however, and another superb looping finish saw the visitors equalise.
After a scramble in the box, left-back Asmita Ale chested down and delicately chipped the ball into the goal for her second of the season.
The sides went into the break level after an enthralling first half, and the second half started in similar fashion with Sunderland taking the lead within ten minutes of the break.
Striker Elise Hughes continued her fine form and tapped home her fourth of the season to restore the hosts’ lead after good work from Katy Watson down the right flank.
The third came quickly after as Sunderland took complete control of the clash with Kitching involved again as she delivered a perfect cross to Sanni Franssi, who scored for the second game running.
That wrapped up another three points for the Black Cats, who are second behind rivals Newcastle United after an unbeaten start.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Watford
Two promoted sides played out an entertaining draw on Sunday afternoon with a quick fire double from Watford sandwiched between two goals from the home side.
Wolves came into this one as favourites after two wins in their opening four as they faced a Watford side that were yet to taste victory since promotion last season.
The game started that way as a strong Georgia Marshall header but Wolves ahead as she scored her first ever BWSL2 goal.
The visitors responded quickly and were unlucky to be behind going into the break after a superb Emily Orman stop denied teenager Vera Jones.
Watford did eventually equalise in the 62nd minute when Poppy Wilson arrived at the back post to finish cleverly and make it 1-1.
The visitors were then in dreamland when Pheobie Poole flicked in her first ever professional goal and put Watford in the lead.
The lead lasted just seven minutes, however, when a handball was spotted in the penalty area and Charlotte Greengrass confidently slotted home to make it 2-2.
Chances to win it were squandered by both sides with Marshall almost getting her second and Watford rattling the crossbar right at the end.
A score draw was probably the right result as the two sides played their part in a superb BWSL2 fixture.
