Gameweek 7 of the WSL2 served up late drama, shock comebacks, and decisive movements at both ends of the table.
Charlton held their nerve in a top-of-the-table clash to edge past Birmingham and extend their lead at the summit to four points. Meanwhile, Newcastle and Bristol City showcased their attacking firepower with commanding away wins. Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest stunned Southampton with a quickfire turnaround in the closing stages. Additionally, Sheffield United continued their climb with a gritty win over Durham. At the foot of the table, Portsmouth lifted themselves off the bottom with a stoppage-time winner – adding pressure on Ipswich, who were swept aside by a rampant Magpies side.
As a result, the push for promotion is beginning to take shape, with just two points separating 2nd and 5th. Conversely, the battle for survival is becoming more intense.
Here’s your full breakdown of another eventful weekend in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2.
VERTA’s WSL2 GW7 Picks
⚽️ Goal of the week: Jessie Gale (Portsmouth 2-1 Crystal Palace)
A surging solo run and composed finish in stoppage time to seal a massive three points. One of the week’s most decisive and dramatic moments.
🚀 Game of the week: Southampton 2-3 Nottingham Forest
A five-goal thriller at St Mary’s capped by two goals in two minutes from Charlie Wellings, as Forest turned the match on its head in the dying stages.
⭐️ Star of the week: Charlie Wellings (Southampton 2-3 Nottingham Forest)
On in the 83rd minute, two goals by the 85th. A game-changing cameo.
Sun 2nd Nov 25 | St Andrew’s
Charlton Athletic maintained their unbeaten start to the season and tightened their grip on top spot with a 1–0 victory over fellow promotion contenders Birmingham City.
Before kick-off, Birmingham were the league’s top scorers with 17 goals from six matches. In contrast, Charlton boasted the tightest defence, having conceded just twice. It was a tense tactical affair where defence triumphed over attack.
The decisive moment came in just the 7th minute, when Katie Bradley found the net with a low finish from the edge of the box. Her strike, though lacking pace, deceived Birmingham goalkeeper Lucy Thomas, whose misjudgement allowed the ball to trickle in.
Despite enjoying spells of possession, Birmingham struggled to carve out clear chances against a resolute Charlton back-line. The visitors managed the game intelligently, restricting space and showing strong positional discipline to frustrate the hosts, who failed to score for the first time this campaign.
Charlton’s victory gives them a four-point cushion at the top of the table and further cements their promotion credentials. They will look to continue this form when they host Southampton next. For Birmingham, the defeat sees them lose ground in the title race, and they’ll aim to bounce back away to Nottingham Forest next.
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Sun 2nd Nov 25 | Bramall Lane
Sheffield United claimed their second win of the season, beating Durham 2–1 at Bramall Lane.
The opening 40 minutes were cagey, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances. However, the match sparked into life just before the break. Mollie Rouse lashed home from close range after a knockdown from a Lafayette cross feel kindly.
The Blades doubled their lead shortly after the restart. Amy Andrews was brought down on the edge of the box by Sarah Wilson, and the referee pointed to the spot. Charlie Devlin stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty to give the Blades a 2–0 advantage.
The hosts thought they had added a third when Andrews found the net, only to be flagged for offside. Sheffield continued to press and should have put the game to bed far earlier.
Durham pulled one back in the 77th minute to set up a nervous finished. Jess Reavill brought down Lucy Watson inside the area, and Beth Hepple converted from the penalty spot to halve the deficit. But it proved to be too little too late.
The result marks three wins from their last five for United, who continue their steady climb up the table. They will look to carry that momentum into their next fixture away at Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, Durham’s inconsistent start to the season leaves them hovering dangerously above the relegation zone. With just one win in their last five, they will need a strong response when they host Newcastle United next weekend.
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Sun 2nd Nov 25 | AGL Arena
Newcastle United produced a ruthless attacking display to sweep past Ipswich Town with a convincing 4–1 away victory.
The first half lacked fluency in the final third from both sides. However, the breakthrough came in the 41st minute when Shania Hayles chested home from close range after a well-weighted cross by Jordan Nobbs, handing Newcastle a deserved lead before the break.
Just five minutes into the second half, Hayles struck again, capitalising on a defensive lapse to slot home her second of the afternoon and double the Magpies’ advantage.
Ipswich responded almost immediately. In the 53rd minute, Kyra Robertson reacted quickest to a loose ball after Newcastle goalkeeper Femke Liefting spilled a routine free-kick, bundling home from close range to give the hosts hope.
However, the momentum shift was short-lived. Molly Pike restored the two-goal cushion in the 61st minute, finishing confidently after excellent build-up play down the left from Lois Joel Gregory.
Emily Murphy added a fourth in stoppage time, meeting a pin-point cross from Beth Lumsden with a well-timed header to seal a dominant display.
The win lifts Newcastle to 6th in the table, and they now look ahead to a trip to Durham. For Ipswich, it was another difficult afternoon, extending a worrying run of form that sees them rooted to the bottom of the table. With a trip to in-form Bristol City next, the pressure is mounting for a response.
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Sun 2nd Nov 25 | Westleigh Park
Portsmouth claimed a vital 2–1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon, recording just their second win of the season and climbing off the foot of the table for the first time this campaign.
The hosts took the lead in the 32nd minute, capitalising on a goalkeeping error. Shae Yanez failed to hold a floated free-kick delivery, spilling the ball into the path of Angelina Nixon, who made no mistake from close range.
However, Palace responded before the break. Annabel Blanchard (42′) bringing the visitors level with a deflected effort from the edge of the box, that wrong-footed the goalkeeper.
The second half proved to be a tight contest, with the better chances falling to Palace. However, Just when it seemed the points would be shared, Jessie Gale struck in the dying moments. The Arsenal loanee was alert to a quickly taken free-kick from Ella Rutherford, With the Palace defence napping, Gale drove through midfield and finished with calm precision to snatch all three points for Portsmouth.
The result marks a crucial step forward for Portsmouth, who now travel to Sunderland looking to build momentum. For Crystal Palace, the nature of the defeat will sting. With just one win, the South London side will look to respond when they host Sheffield United next weekend.
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Sun 2nd Nov 25 | St Mary’s
Nottingham Forest continued their impressive start to life in the WSL2 with a thrilling 3–2 away victory over Southampton.
Despite a strong start from the hosts, it was Forest who broke the deadlock in the 41st minute. Nahikari García reacted quickest to a spilled effort from Simone Boye-Hlorkah, slotting home with confidence to give the visitors the lead.
That advantage was short-lived, however, as Southampton responded just before the interval. Mary Bashford diverted home a dangerous free-kick from Tara Bourne at the near post to send the sides in level at the break.
Both teams remained committed in attack throughout a lively second half. But it was Southampton who looked to have seized control in the 71st minute. Jessica Simpson rose highest at the far post to glance home a corner, giving the Saints the lead for the first time in the match.
But Forest were not done. Managerial intervention proved decisive as Charlie Wellings was introduced in the 83rd minute. Just two minutes later, she latched onto a through ball and finished low past the keeper with her first touch of the match to make it 2–2.
Incredibly, within sixty seconds, Wellings was at it again. Played through once more, she kept her composure to slide home an almost identical finish. Stunning the home crowd and sealing all three points for the visitors in remarkable fashion.
The win lifts Forest to within one point of the promotion places, and look ahead to a home clash with Sheffield United. For Southampton, it was only a second defeat of the season, but one that stings, with a daunting trip to league leaders Charlton up next.
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Sun 2nd Nov 25 | Eppleton Colliery Welfare ground
Bristol City continued their charge up the table with a commanding 4–2 win away at Sunderland.
The visitors flew out of the blocks and took the lead inside 14 minutes, with Camila Sáez curling a superb direct free-kick into the top corner from the edge of the box.
They doubled their advantage shortly after when Gemma Lawley rose highest to head home from a corner, guiding the ball through a crowd of players and past the goalkeeper.
The pressure didn’t relent. In the 24th minute, Lexi Lloyd-Smith added a third in emphatic fashion. Cutting inside from the right and smashing an unstoppable strike into the far top corner to make it 3–0.
To their credit, Sunderland responded well in a frantic spell just before half-time. Katie Kitching (44′) finished smartly from a threaded pass to pull one back. Moments later, Mary Corbyn made it 3–2, when her cross-come-shot looped over Olivia Bentley in the Bristol goal.
At the break, momentum appeared to be shifting, but Bristol regained composure and managed the second half with control and discipline. They sealed the result in the 88th minute when Emily Syme converted from the penalty spot after Olivier Hibbert-Johnson was brought down in the area.
The win cements Bristol City’s position in the top three, and they will look to strengthen their promotion push when they host bottom-side Ipswich Town next. Sunderland, meanwhile, will be left to rue a slow start and aim to respond when they welcome Portsmouth in their next outing.
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