Charlton Athletic Women lead Championship again after derby victory | OneFootball

Charlton Athletic’s Freda Ayisi celebrates the winning goal with team-mates (Stephen Flynn/SPP)

Charlton Athletic are back on top of the Barclays Women’s Championship following a 1-0 victory in the derby clash away to Crystal Palace.

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

Charlton Athletic won the south London derby 1-0 over Crystal Palace to regain the leadership from Sunderland. Play was suspended for a lengthy spell during first-half stoppage-time, following injury to the Addicks’ Freya Gregory who was stretchered off after a mid-air collision. Freda Ayisi came off the bench for Charlton to make the breakthrough, on the rebound from Demi Lambourne’s save of the initial effort.

Southampton took all three points with a 11th-minute goal at Sheffield United to go third. Lucia Kendall had a second-minute finish ruled out but Katie Wilkinson soon swept the Saints ahead.

Birmingham City beat London City Lionesses by the only goal of the game, rising to fourth as a result. Cho So-hyun fired Birmingham in front from range with only seven minutes played.

Birmingham City’s Cho So-hyun celebrates scoring the first against London City Lionesses. (Natalie Mincher/SPP)

Reading recovered a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 at Lewes. Grace Riglar played in Maria Farrugia to put the Rooks one up in the early stages, Riglar herself got the second with a long-range effort that slipped through the hands of Eve Annetts. The Royals’ Bethan Roberts hit the bar but later found the net to get her side back in the game. Charlie Wellings dramatically levelled five minutes into added time and Reading held on despite a second yellow card for Tia Primmer. The Royals remain three points ahead of the next-to-bottom Rooks.

Watford are goal-difference from getting off the bottom of the table, after pulling off a fine 2-0 victory at mid-table Durham. It was a great start for the Hornets, as after only 2 minutes Michelle Agyemang intercepted a back pass and set up Carly Johns to score. Watford went two up after the hour, Agyemang finding Coral-Jade Haines who rode a challenge by keeper Tatiana Saunders to tuck the ball home.

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