Newcastle United Women beat leaders, Sunderland edge seven-goal thriller | OneFootball

Sunderland’s Katie Kitching bagged a quickfire brace in a 4-3 win. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Barclays Women’s Championship leaders Birmingham City were beaten at home by Newcastle United, Sunderland saw off Bristol City 4-3.

Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Durham Charlton Athletic 0-1 Southampton Sunderland 4-3 Bristol City Birmingham City 0-2 Newcastle United

Newcastle United are up to fourth and just two points short of leaders Birmingham City with a game in hand, after winning away to table-topping Blues. Beth Lumsden crossed for Shania Hayles to sweep Newcastle United ahead 11 minutes in. The Blues hit the woodwork three times after the break, then when Newcastle were similarly denied on one occasion as Lucy Thomas saved from Lumsden, Isabella Sibley was on hand to turn in the rebound.

Sunderland edged a seven goals thriller after Bristol City fought back despite conceding three quick goals. Eleanor Dale scored in the opening seconds when put through by Natasha Fenton but City levelled after 10 minutes through Mari Ward, on the follow up from Demi Lambourne’s save to deny Ffion Morgan. Lexi Lloyd-Smith crossed for Morgan to turn the game in the visitors’ favour but it swung strongly back in Sunderland’s as they ran riot with three goals in a five-minute spell. Dale got her second and Katie Kitching clinched a swift brace, before Lloyd-Smith made for a tense ending when bringing in back to 4-3 inside the last 20 minutes.

Southampton made the breakthrough 10 minutes from time at Charlton Athletic, Tara Bourne turning home the loose ball after a Freya Gregory was not fully cleared. The win put Saints within a point of the Addicks, with a game still in hand.

Blackburn Rovers’ Farah Crompton beat the Durham keeper to slot her side in front midway through the first half. Seven minutes into the second Beth Hepple brought Durham level direct from a free kick, then just after the hour she played in Lauren Briggs to score at the near post. Hepple was again involved for the third in teeing up Michaela Foster, who struck from 25 yards. Georgia Walters got a goal back for Rovers but with the game already into added time, Durham took all three points to go third in the table.

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