Charlton Athletic Women go top after Blackburn Rovers beat leaders | OneFootball

Molly Pike (14 Southampton) and Carla Humphrey (8 Charlton). (Tom Phillips / SPP)

Charlton Athletic edged Sunderland off the top of the Barclays Women’s Championship with the Black Cats beaten by Blackburn Rovers.

Reading 0-0 Watford London City Lionesses 0-1 Birmingham City Crystal Palace 3-2 Lewes Sheffield United 0-1 Durham Southampton 0-2 Charlton Athletic Sunderland 0-1 Blackburn Rovers

Charlton Athletic are top on goals scored ahead of Sunderland, following their win at Southampton. The Addicks made the breakthrough two minutes after the restart, Carla Humphrey’s free kick headed into the net by Kayleigh Green. Melissa Johnson rounded the keeper to secure the points in added time.

Blackburn Rovers ended Sunderland’s unbeaten record, with a 1-0 win away to the leaders. Chelsea Ferguson followed up a blocked shot to fire Rovers one up with nearly an hour played.

Crystal Palace moved up to third but had to come from behind to beat basement side Lewes. Sarah Brasero-Carreira gave Lewes a surprise lead but Shanade Hopcroft struck the equaliser after her free kick came back off the Rooks’ wall. Lexi Potter fired the Eagles in front in the last 20 minutes and Molly-Mae Sharpe sealed the points with a late third, although Reanna Blades did score the second for Lewes in stoppage time.

Birmingham City’s fourth-minute goal at London City Lionesses proved enough for all three points. Lucy Quinn launched a corner kick that was headed in by Gemma Lawley.

Durham got the only goal of the game at Sheffield United. Dee Bradley’s through ball was dummied by Saoirse Noonan and Ellie Ryan-Doyle was through to finish.

Watford claimed their fifth point in ten games since their Championship return with a goalless draw at Reading, who remain one place and five points better off than the Hornets.

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