Soccer

Manchester City extend lead at top of WSL as victory relegates Bristol City

Second-placed Chelsea would draw level by winning their two games in hand.

Mary Fowler scores Manchester City’s first goal
Mary Fowler scores Manchester City’s first goal (John Walton/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Women’s Super League to six points with a 4-0 win at Bristol City that relegated their hosts.

Second-placed Chelsea would draw level at the summit by winning their two games in hand.

But City’s win ended Arsenal’s interest in the title race after the Gunners were held 1-1 by Everton earlier in the day.

City’s goal difference is seven better than Chelsea’s after Bristol City’s resilience at Ashton Gate was ended by four second-half goals.

Mary Fowler broke the deadlock with a thunderbolt just after the hour mark and converted Lauren Hemp’s cross to add another after 75 minutes.

Home defender Amy Rogers quickly turned the ball into her own net before Alex Greenwood powered home a header deep in stoppage time to further improve the visitors’ goal difference.

Bristol City’s defeat means they return to the Championship after one season in the top flight and guarantees West Ham’s safety.

Arsenal’s slim title hopes nose-dived as 16-year-old substitute Issy Hobson’s stoppage-time equaliser earned Everton a point at Walton Hall Park.

Alessia Russo had put the Gunners ahead 10 minutes from time, slotting in the follow-up after Toffees goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan had blocked Beth Mead’s shot with her leg.

But the hosts equalised through Hobson in the fifth added minute, the teenager nodding the ball past Gunners keeper Manuela Zinsberger to become the youngest goalscorer in WSL history.

Elsewhere, Ella Toone’s stunning late winner gave fourth-placed Manchester United a 1-0 victory at Leicester.

Toone came off the bench to settle a contest that United had enjoyed the better of seven minutes from time.

Yuka Momiki had hit a post for the visitors before Toone found the top corner of the Leicester net from long range.

Brighton drew 1-1 at Tottenham, with Bethany England salvaging a point for the FA Cup finalists.

Elisabeth Terland’s 13th goal of the season, poking home the rebound after Spurs goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer had kept out her initial header, put the Seagulls ahead after 17 minutes.

But England turned home substitute Ashleigh Neville’s cross to level nine minutes from time.

West Ham had edged towards safety with a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

Alisha Lehmann struck against her former club – and against the run of play – to put Villa ahead after 72 minutes.

The Hammers equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Shannon Cooke met Riko Ueki’s centre and the ball trickled through the legs of Villa goalkeeper Sophia Poor.

Crystal Palace will be playing in the WSL next season after rubber-stamping their promotion from the Championship.

Palace went into the final day of the campaign three points clear of second-placed Charlton with an overwhelming advantage in goal difference, and a goalless draw against Sunderland in front of a club-record 6,796 crowd at Selhurst Park sealed top place.