Women's Football: Corinne Yorston's goal secures Bristol's safety

Corinne Yorston scored the goal that ensured Bristol Academy will remain in the FA Women’s Super League 1 next season.

Yorston’s powerful close-range header, from Natalia Pablos Sanchon’s cross, was enough for Bristol to edge out Manchester City 1-0 at the Stoke Gifford Stadium on Sunday.

The victory was only their second in the last seven outings and took them above City in the table.

The Vixens had needed a point to guarantee their safety although they were indebted to keeper Mary Earps who made several good saves to keep City at bay.

She thwarted Isobel Christiansen and Jill Scott before the break, then made a fine stop to deny Toni Duggan in the second half.

In the end the decisive moment arrived shortly before the interval when Yorston delivered top flight football again in 2015.

Academy boss Dave Edmondson said: “We have been conceding far too many goals recently, and I said to our players before the game that I wanted either a 1-0 win or even a 0-0 this time.

“I wanted us to be hard to beat and we were, even though it probably wasn’t the best football we have played this season.”

Meanwhile, Everton have been relegated from Women’s Super League 1 after losing 2-0 at Notts County.

Aileen Whelan’s two goals sealed Everton's fate in what has been a torrid season for the Merseysiders.

Andy Spence's ladies, who have not won away all season, came into the game knowing only a victory would keep their slim survival hopes alive.

And they started brightly with Danielle Turner cracking a fierce 25-yard effort against the post on 10.

Whelan headed the opener following Katie Hoyle's corner on 42 before Fiona O’Sullivan and Hoyle wasted good opportunities to extend the margin.

But it was game over four minutes later when Whelan calmly slotted home after Jess Clarke's darting run from midfield created an opening.

Everton boss Andy Spence remained upbeat at Meadow Lane saying: “We are devastated that we have been relegated.

“I have said to the players that I could not ask any more from them today or through the season.

"The result sums up our season and the fine margins that decide winning and losing. This was one of our best attacking displays of the season.  

"We created chances and also hit the post but we lacked that bit of quality in the final third and final ball.”

Notts County’s manager Rick Passmoor added: “Being safe from relegation is a nice feeling. It was a worry, although we didn’t mention it in the dressing room because you do not want to put pressure on the players.

“I am pleased for Aileen Whelan. She deserves the goals for the effort she has put in.”

Elsewhere, Aston Villa beat Durham in another single goal encounter as Maddy Cusack was the hero in Super League 2.

Cusack finished off a superb solo run with a thumping shot early in the second half, although Durham came close to salvaging a point as substitute Meg Lawson rattled the bar late on.

Villa’s Katie Wilkinson spurned two good chances before the break, while Zoe Ness came close for Durham. It was Villa’s third straight win.

Durham boss Lee Sanders admitted: “We’ve had quite a number of injuries the last couple of weeks plus a tonsillitis bug in the camp this week so we’ve come here with five or six development players.

“We’ve finished the game with seven or eight 17-year-olds so it bodes well for the future. I can’t be too hard on them – they’ve done well and we nearly got a draw at the end.

“It’s a great strike from Meg that bounces back off the bar and hits the keeper – 99.5 times out of 100 that would go in.”

Villa boss Ron Mellor added: “I don’t know how many chances we had but we just couldn’t get the goals. Had we finished a little more calmly, it would have been much safer than it was.

“They hit the bar at the end and could well have snatched a point but I think justice was done because we deserved to win.

“We scored a fine goal but we produced that sort of moment very sparsely and struggled to finish.”

In another League 2 fixture Reading thrashed Oxford 5-0.

The home side opened their account after four minutes when a Fran Kirby cross fell to Laura May-Walkley who dispatched her volley from close range.

And Reading only had to wait 12 minutes for their second when Shelly Cox’s looping ball into the box confused Jemma Connor-Iommi who headed into her own net.

They made it three shortly afterwards when Kirby set up Lauren Bruton who fired home from outside the box.

The Royals made it 4-0 three minutes later via Melissa Fletcher who rounded off the afternoon with a fifth goal late on.

Reading boss Jane Ludlow said: "We won't catch Sunderland but it's important to finish strongly.

“We need to push on and continue to build and grow in the way we have done so far.

"We have some tough challenges still to come but coming off the back of that performance, we should be able to finish the season strongly."

The loss is Oxford’s first in four matches and manager Les Taylor explained: "I was expecting more from them. We just didn't compete with Reading who we gave far too much respect.

"We trained well throughout the week and after our three-match unbeaten run, I was hoping for more.”