Welcome to One Step Away, The Cutback’s WSL2 newsletter covering results, standout performances, talking points and everything else you need to know from around the league.
Last weekend’s WSL2 action saw a remarkable 31 goals scored across six matches, as the league’s forwards got their shooting boots on.
Beth Hepple (Durham), Princess Ademiluyi (Ipswich Town), Leticia McKenna (Nottingham Forest), Freya Jupp (Sheffield United) and Amber Hughes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) all scored twice at the weekend, while Newcastle’s Martha Thomas netted a late equaliser against Nottingham Forest to keep her top of the WSL2 charts.
The highest-scoring match of the weekend came at Turf Moor, where Sheffield United came from 2-1 down to beat Burnley 4-3. Bristol City also came from behind to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-2, while Leicester City rescued a late point against Southampton in a 2-2 draw.
Every match produced at least four goals, for an average of 5.17 per game, and there were some pretty good ones, too.
Newcastle rescue their unbeaten streak
Newcastle United’s perfect start to the season came to an end at Nottingham Forest, but Tanya Oxtoby’s side rescued their unbeaten record with a comeback from 2-0 down.
Leticia McKenna scored twice inside 15 minutes before Beth Lumsden did her best Lionel Messi impression, receiving the ball wide on the right, weaving past three defenders and setting up Kathleen McGovern shortly after half-time. Martha Thomas rescued a late point for the Magpies, scoring her sixth league goal of the season.
Newcastle aren’t just relying on Thomas for their success in front of goal. They’ve netted 16 times this season, with eight different players getting on the scoresheet so far.
Forest, meanwhile, might be the grittiest team in WSL2. Tom Mallinson’s side have won two and drawn four, taking points off high-fliers Newcastle and Ipswich to remain as one of three unbeaten teams in the division.
Watford win, Durham doomed?
Watford finally registered their first WSL2 win of the season with a 4-2 victory over Durham at Vicarage Road, leaving Willie Kirk’s side bottom of the table with six defeats from six matches.
Durham goalkeeper Catriona Sheppard had an afternoon to forget. She gifted Vera Jones Watford’s second with a misplaced pass before getting unlucky with an Aoibheann Clancy corner that soared on a perfectly directed gust of wind and flew into the top corner.
Sheppard’s miserable day was capped by a Madison Perry lob she had — correctly, I might add — adjudged to be off-target. The ball pinged off the inside of the post, into the American’s collarbone, and in.
Durham standout Beth Hepple scored two late consolation goals in reply, including a magnificent stoppage-time free-kick. But there was very little she could do about Durham’s defensive problems, which continue to worsen.
Kirk’s side have now conceded 20 goals in six matches and are already six points from safety, however Watford manager Renée Hector wasn’t feeling overly sympathetic to their cause after the match.
“I genuinely felt and believed that when it clicked, we were going to absolutely batter a team,” Hector said. “And I think that happened.”
PRINCESS!
Ipswich Town have stormed into the promotion places, and One Step Away favourite Princess Ademiluyi is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting players in WSL2.
The Tractor Girls came from behind to beat Sunderland 3-1, ending the Black Cats’ unbeaten start to the season. Elise Hughes had given Sunderland the lead after just three minutes before a Georgia Timms equaliser, but Tess Laplacette’s dismissal for a blatant professional foul early in the second half changed the game, allowing Ademiluyi to score twice in ten minutes.
Both goals showcased the 20-year-old’s extraordinary physicality and shooting technique. Goalkeepers in WSL2 aren’t used to facing players with Ademiluyi’s shot power, and Sunderland’s Frances Stenson had little chance of stopping either finish.
Ademiluyi has scored four goals in just 305 league minutes this season, giving her the best goals-per-90 record among FotMob’s qualifying WSL2 players, at 1.18.
Ipswich are understandably desperate to keep her. Ademiluyi is on loan from Gotham until December, and manager David Wright has publicly expressed his desire to sign her permanently. Losing their most dangerous forward midway through a promotion challenge could prove enormously costly.
Sunderland, meanwhile, can take some encouragement from their defeat. Melanie Copeland’s side finished with more shots and more touches in the opposition penalty area despite playing much of the second half with ten players. They remain third, just one point behind Ipswich, with a Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle looming in November.
Bristol City find their feet
Bristol City’s difficult start to the campaign is beginning to look like a distant memory. Charlotte Healy’s side lost their opening two matches against Sunderland and Newcastle, but are now unbeaten in four league games, winning three to climb into fourth place.
The Robins have scored 11 goals during that run, including five against Watford and four against Wolves on Sunday. They fell behind to an early Amber Hughes goal at Ashton Gate, but strikes from Katie Robinson, Brooke Aspin, Rio Hardy and Marine Dafeur secured a convincing 4-2 victory.
Wolves manager Dan McNamara described the defeat as a reality check for his newly promoted side, acknowledging that Bristol City’s early results had disguised their quality.
Healy’s team now sit just three points outside the promotion places, and their visit to second-placed Ipswich on 8th November will provide a measure of how far they have recovered.
What to watch, where, and when
The WSL2 takes a break for the Subway Women’s League Cup this weekend, with league action returning on Sunday 8th November.
The pick of the next league round is Ipswich Town’s meeting with Bristol City, while Newcastle will look to extend their unbeaten run against Burnley at St James’ Park.
Durham v Sunderland - Sunday 8th November, 12:00 GMT
Ipswich Town v Bristol City - Sunday 8th November, 14:00 GMT
Newcastle United v Burnley - Sunday 8th November, 14:00 GMT
Southampton v Sheffield United - Sunday 8th November, 14:00 GMT
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest - Sunday 8th November, 14:00 GMT
Leicester City v Watford - Sunday 8th November, 15:00 GMT
All six matches are available on the Barclays Women’s Super League YouTube channel.