What's happening in WSL2: Birmingham's unbeaten start ended as Charlton hit top
Two weeks of drama and momentum shifts in second tier, with Nottingham Forest and Southampton also on the rise
The last fortnight has shaken up the early standings in Women’s Super League 2. Charlton have surged to the top after back-to-back victories over Newcastle and Sunderland, while Birmingham City’s unbeaten start came to an end with a surprising 2-1 home defeat to Southampton.
That statement win for Southampton followed a draw with Sunderland, signalling their recent rise as serious contenders.
Nottingham Forest, who are sitting in third place, have been gathering momentum with important wins over Portsmouth and Bristol City.
Crystal Palace continue to be tough to beat: they have drawn twice - against Durham and Newcastle - to keep their points tally ticking over despite not getting wins.
At the other end of the table, Ipswich Town came to life with their first win of the campaign before slipping back with defeat to Sheffield United, while Newcastle’s start remains inconsistent after that draw against Palace and a narrow loss to Charlton - performances which highlighted both their potential and growing frustrations.
Meanwhile, Durham are also continuing to search for rhythm, showing glimpses of quality but struggling to turn their efforts into wins.
Memorable Moments
Ipswich made history by recording their first win in WSL2 after a late Paige Peake penalty secured a 3-2 victory over Portsmouth. Manager Joe Sheehan said: “It was great to share that moment with them at the end. The first win is often the most difficult one to get and not an easy game to get it in as well, so I’m really pleased.”
Red card drama! Ipswich’s Bethan Roe was sent off against Sheffield United and Bristol City’s Sophie Ingle was dismissed in their defeat to Forest
Standout performances
Charlton’s Jodie Hutton scored both goals in their 2-0 win over Sunderland
Forest’s attacking depth and team cohesion was on full display, with their four goals against Portsmouth coming from four different players: Jessie Stapleton, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, Aimee Claypole and Hollie Olding
News
Sunderland’s Keira Barry and Eleanor Dale have returned from injury and were available on the bench in their last match
What to watch out for
With six intriguing fixtures scheduled for Sunday, the WSL2’s early-season storylines could twist again with momentum shifts this weekend.