Women's Super League: Manchester United stay top; Man City snatch late Arsenal win
Casey Stoney's Man Utd still unbeaten; Caroline Weir strikes late for Man City vs Arsenal; Sam Kerr sees Chelsea past Brighton; Tottenham win again under new boss; West Ham thrash Bristol City
Sunday 13 December 2020 17:17, UK
Hayley Ladd scored a late header as Manchester United beat Reading 2-1 to maintain their unbeaten start in the Women's Super League.
The visitors started the game brightly and made their breakthrough after 30 minutes when Leah Galton finished off a swift United counter-attack.
Reading were level 10 minutes into the second half when Wales international Jess Fishlock drove towards the box and fired a shot which deflected off United's Millie Turner and found its way into the net.
But United restored their lead through Ladd with seven minutes remaining. As a corner got flicked on, Ladd was on hand to head past Grace Moloney and secure all three points.
Manchester City left it even later to snatch victory as Caroline Weir struck in injury time to see off Arsenal 2-1.
Vivianne Miedema struck with just three minutes on the clock, before Sam Mewis hit back on the half-hour mark with a header that somehow beat a defender on the post.
It looked like the sides would have to settle for a point but Weir sealed a dramatic victory in the fourth minute of stoppage time when she curled into the bottom corner from outside the box.
Fourth-placed City are now just a point off the Gunners directly above them - and five off leaders United.
Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham all winners
Sam Kerr's first-half goal maintained Chelsea's unbeaten run as they defeated Brighton 1-0 away from home to leapfrog Arsenal into second.
Kerr once again got on the scoresheet as she broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, meeting Pernille Harder's cross with a powerful header.
Kerr's goal made it four in two weeks, as she scored a hat-trick last weekend against West Ham.
Manager Emma Hayes' win over the Seagulls was a record 29th in the Women's Super League and the Blues - three points behind Manchester United - have a game in hand.
Tottenham beat Aston Villa 3-1 at the Hive to pick up their second successive Women's Super League win under new manager Rehanne Skinner.
Both teams started brightly as they went in search of their first back-to-back wins of the campaign but two-time World
Cup winner Alex Morgan made the breakthrough with a 13th-minute penalty that she earned herself.
Villa were struggling to carve any meaningful opportunities until the 24th minute, when Nadine Hanssen picked up a loose ball and cleverly lobbed Becky Spencer 30 yards from goal to level things up.
Morgan helped the hosts restore their lead in the 36th minute when she drove down the left-wing and fired a cross into the box that ricocheted off Villa defender Caroline Siems and into her own net.
And Spurs extended their lead in the 63rd minute after good work from Angela Addison.
Bristol City remain winless at the bottom after losing 4-0 to fellow strugglers West Ham.
The Hammers took the lead in the 11th minute when, following a corner, the ball ricocheted around the penalty box and Jemma Purfield diverted the ball into her own net.
West Ham scored again in the 58th minute. Martha Thomas produced a powerful run down the right and crossed for Emily Van Egmond to convert.
Six minutes later and it was 3-0 courtesy of England international Rachel Daly's header, assisted by Van Egmond.
Thomas added a fourth in the 86th minute.
Birmingham City's game with Everton was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
