Portsmouth Women win Championship match for first time ever | OneFootball

Sophie Barker, who opened the scoring for Portsmouth in their first league win of the season. (Tom Phillips/SPP)

Portsmouth gave a big boost to their hopes of staying in the Barclays Women’s Championship for a second season with victory at Sheffield United.

Sheffield United 0-2 Portsmouth Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Birmingham City Charlton Athletic 1-1 London City Lionesses Newcastle United 3-2 Bristol City Sunderland 2-0 Durham

Portsmouth are within a point of Sheffield United after they won the basement battle 2-0 at Bramall Lane.

The Blades were down to ten soon after the half-hour mark, Issy Hobson sent off when her foul denied Meg Hornby a goalscoring opportunity.

Hornby collected a stray back-pass and picked out Sophie Barker to score a crucial goal for Pompey, Riva Casley doubling the lead with 16 minutes left on the clock.

Lucy Quinn (17 Birmingham City) celebrates a goal against Blackburn Rovers. (Sean Chandler / SPP)

Birmingham City moved three points clear at the top with a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

A Lucy Quinn brace put the visitors in control after 25 minutes, Ashanti Akpan and Teagan McGowan with the assists.

Fourth-placed Charlton Athletic were on the verge of defeating second-in-the-table London City Lionesses, until a stoppage-time set-piece equaliser.

Katie Bradley made the breakthrough for the Addicks from the penalty spot, with 13 minutes or so for the Lionesses to respond.

Six minutes into added time, Kosovare Asllani dramatically whipped a free kick in of the upright for a share of the points.

Newcastle United are within a point of fifth-placed Bristol City after taking the lead for a third time.

Beth Lumsden struck twice in the first quarter of an hour for United, Malaika Meena replying in-between on her full debut.

Amy Rodgers scored City’s second equaliser with nine minutes to go, only for Newcastle to swiftly hit back when Freya Gregory’s free-kick was turned in by Deanna Cooper at the back post.

Sunderland defeated third-placed Durham at the Stadium of Light, Libbi McInnes giving them the lead aided by Katie Kitching.

Amy Goddard got the second via a corner after the interval, Jessie Stapleton with the touch to set up the chance.

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