Sunday February 7th
FA TESCO PREMIER LEAGUE NORTHERN DIVISION
Manchester City 1-2 Newcastle United
Preston North End 1-3 Leeds City Vixens
SOUTHERN DIVISION
Cardiff City P-P WFC Fulham
Crystal Palace 1-3 Keynsham Town
Newcastle United gained ground on Manchester City, winning 2-1 away to the third-placed team in the Northern Division. Laura Wareham made a full-length dive to keep out a free kick from City's Lindsay Savage and Newcastle's best opening of the first half came via a Beth Gardener effort. Her shot was parried by Andrea Worrall, with three follow-ups all blocked as City threw everything in the way.
The hosts opened the scoring on 58 minutes, Wareham tipped a header onto the bar but Becky Grocott volleyed in the rebound. The equaliser arrived 5 minutes later, Gardener's curling shot was tipped onto the post and Stacey Crooks slid the ball under the despairing keeper.
With play going from end to end, it was Newcastle that grabbed the winning goal on 78 minutes, when Gardener read a backpass and chipped the keeper from 16 yards. The Newcastle defence stood strong in the final minutes as City piled on the pressure.
Neil Baistow, NUWFC Manager, said; "The players showed great character today to come back from a goal down on a sticky pitch after not playing for so long. Beth Gardener was excellent for us today particularly second half playing a big part in both goals. But today was very much a team performance with everyone playing their part. I hope we don't have to wait as long for our next game!"
Leeds City Vixens leapfrogged Preston into seventh place, with a 3-1 away win, the second time they have put three goals past North End this term. Tania Panesar bagged a brace for the visitors, Emma Lipman their other goal, while Gemma Watson converted a penalty for Preston.
Keynsham Town climbed to fifth in the Southern Division, completing a double over Crystal Palace, with a 3-1 win away to the basement side. However, it was Palace that struck first, before goals by Kat Rusek, Ana Bruni and Leanne Lapham saw the visitors to victory.
