Barclays WSL2 results: Newcastle stay top, Ipswich and Sunderland win as Sheffield United hit four

Barclays WSL2 results: Newcastle stay top, Ipswich and Sunderland win as Sheffield United hit four The Barclays Women’s Super League 2 (WSL2) match-week four saw goals galore as the league table began to take shape over the latest results. Newcastle United remain top of the table with another convincing win. Sunderland and Ipswich Town both also kept pace with wins. The middle of the pack sees four teams sitting on six points. However, it looks like worrying times for Durham, as they sit bottom on zero points. It was another week of outstanding performances from Sheffield United star player Amy Andrews, who bagged a hat-trick. A rocket from captain Maria Boswell also secured the points for Ipswich, and despite being on the losing side at Watford, Vera Jones hit a peach of a free-kick to give her team hope. Bristol City fail to breakdown Burnley Newly promoted Burnley hosted Bristol City at Turf Moor with new signing Leah Galton named in the matchday squad. Bristol City nearly broke the deadlock after some good work by captain Emily Syme found Rio Hardy, but the striker couldn’t toe-poke in beyond a scrambling defence and the ball was cleared. Galton was introduced as a second half sub but couldn’t inspire her team to score. Despite having 57 percent possession, City couldn’t convert any of their 20 shots into goals. They lost further pace with the promotion pack as the match ended 0-0. Southampton and Forest share the points Both teams entered this match with only one win so far this season. It was a fairly neutral first half where both teams cancelled out the other. In the second half, Freya Jupp showed incredible strength against two Forest defenders to fire the Saints into the lead. Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah then did what she does by firing her team back into the match. The attacker collected the ball on the edge of the box and hit a low drive to the bottom left beyond the diving goalkeeper to make it 1-1. Ipswich turn over Wolves for all three points The Tractor Girls came into this match against Wolves unbeaten this season. Ipswich faced a high-flying Wolves off the back of a 3-0 win. It was Wolves who struck first through centurion goalscorer Amber Hughes in slightly fortunate circumstances. A hopeful long ball over the top caught the Ipswich defence out when it wasn’t given out of play, and Hughes played to the whistle, reacting quickest to fire in at the near post. Ipswich responded out of nothing. Princess Ademiluyi hit a rocket from 30 yards out — it caught the inside of the right-hand post and went in. Things got worse for Wolves before the break when Maria Boswell hit a hopeful strike at goal and goalkeeper Emily Orman was judged to have crossed the line when catching it to put the Tractor Girls ahead 2-1 at the break. Ipswich got their third goal and it rivalled the quality of Ademiluyi’s first half strike. Captain Maria Boswell collected the ball on the edge of the box after a corner, urged to shoot by the home fans, she hit it perfectly into the back of the net. Ipswich remain unbeaten seeing this match out 3-1. Sheffield United thrash fellow league strugglers Durham These two sides sat at the bottom of the WSL2 table before kick-off as Sheffield United hosted Durham at Bramall Lane. The Blades looked sharp and struck first after a great cross from Lucy Quinn found Amy Andrews, who headed in from close range. Durham then showed some real class with neat passing around the edge of the box. Bayley Hutchison had absolutely no right to try from distance, but she did, and it absolutely flew into the net to make it 1-1. Despite 19 shots on goal, that was the only bright spark of the day for Durham as Sheffield United fired themselves ahead through Lucy Quinn. Andrews later made it 3-1 from the penalty spot. Andrews then popped up again for her hat-trick goal and to put them game to bed at 4-1. She latched onto a ball over the top to perfectly fire round the goalkeeper and wheel away in celebration. Sheffield United showed some great quality and climb up the table to ninth. Durham stay rooted to the bottom on zero points. Sunderland see out win against Watford Sunderland came into this match unbeaten and had to battle for all three points. It was Sunderland loanee Sanni Franssi who latched onto a brilliant cross into the box from Tess Laplacette, finishing on the half-volley to make it 0-1. Sunderland striker Elise Hughes then made it 0-2. Despite looking in an offside position, the striker made sure from close range after teammate Jess Brown had struck what looked like a goal-bound effort. Watford didn’t give up, and pulled one back in the second half through Vera Jones. Watford had a shout for a penalty but the ref judged the foul was made outside the area. The Youth Lioness fired in the resulting free-kick up and over the wall to beat Safia Middleton-Patel and make it 1-2. However, Watford couldn’t get the all-important equaliser, and Sunderland saw it out to head to 2nd in the WSL2 table. The Magpies prove bad luck for toothless Leicester City Newcastle started this match with electric energy. Converting that to a goal through defensive midfielder Charlotte Wardlow, who struck in off the post from within the area to make it 1-0. Then Newcastle really combined to show their star quality. Beth Lumsden passed to WSL legend Jordan Nobbs, who crossed in for Martha Thomas to flick a header into the bottom corner for 2-0. Only three minutes later, Beth Lumsden teed up Thomas again with a volleyed through ball splitting the Leicester City defence. Thomas twisted and turned the Foxes’ defenders before firing into the net and hitting her brace and Newcastle’s third. The fourth for Newcastle came from defensive stalwart Aoife Mannion but with the most unlikely overhead kick finish. The central defender managed to adjust to finish, looping it into the corner. Newcastle win 4-0. All match-day five fixtures take place on Sunday, 4th October. The early 12pm kick-off sees bottom vs top as Durham host Newcastle United. The rest kick off at 2pm. Nottingham Forest host Burnley. Leicester City travel to second-place Sunderland, hoping for a turnaround in fortunes. Sheffield United host high-flying Ipswich. Bristol City open up Ashton Gate as the Saints come matching into town. Wolverhampton Wanderers host Watford with both hoping to return to winning ways. Related articles from Her Football Hub: From Alex Morgan to Naomi Girma: When women’s transfer hypes failed to become reality WSL: Vivien Endemann is making her mark at Liverpool Barclays WSL2 results: Newcastle sit top, Bristol City hit five, while Forest, Ipswich and Wolves all win