Caitlin Hayes (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo

Hayes on target for Brighton as McCabe helps Chelsea to top of WSL

Chelsea rout Charlton 6-0 to return to summit on goal difference.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND defender Caitlin Hayes scored for Brighton, while Katie McCabe helped Chelsea return to the top of the Women’s Super League on Sunday.

Chelsea put Charlton Athletic to the sword, beating the league’s bottom side 6-0 at The Valley to move above Manchester City on goal difference.

Ireland captain McCabe provided the assist for the opener, crossing for Nathalie Björn to head home after three minutes.

The Blues scored four goals before the 20th minute, while Melvine Malard (two), Ellie Carpenter, Aggie Beever-Jones and Giulia Dragoni were the others on target. 

McCabe played the full game after being held in reserve for their Champions League fixture midweek, while Lucia Lobato featured for Charlton. Sophie Whitehouse was an unused substitute. 

City won the battle of second and third, edging London City Lionesses 2-1 to keep pace with Chelsea. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw broke the deadlock at Bromley, before Jana Fernandez equalised, but Lauren Hemp hit back as the defending champions secured all three points. 

Arsenal’s difficult start to the season continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium. Alessia Russo’s late goal rescued a point for the hosts after Chasity Grant’s first-half opener. Anna Patten played the full game for Villa.

Her Irish centre-back partner helped Brighton to a 2-1 comeback win at home to Crystal Palace. Hayes levelled matters with a trademark header in the 59th minute: her second WSL goal of the season was Brighton’s 200th in league history.

Sophie Peskett completed the comeback win five minutes later, after Annabel Blanchard had sent Palace into a shock first-half lead. 

Hayes played the full game for the Seagulls, for whom Emily Murphy was a late substitute. Abbie Larkin and Shanade Hopcroft both played 64 minutes for Palace, while Hayley Nolan went unused on the bench.

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United both won 4-1, seeing off Birmingham City and Liverpool respectively. Everton held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw on Saturday, with Irish goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan starring. 

Elsewhere in the Women’s League Cup on Sunday, one-time Ireland call-up Melisa Filis scored as Wolves beat Bristol City 2-1.  

WSL 

  • Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa
  • London City Lionesses 1-2 Manchester City
  • Birmingham City 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur
  • Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 Crystal Palace
  • West Ham Women 4-1 Liverpool
  • Charlton Athletic 0-6 Chelsea

Women’s League Cup 

  • Durham 1-5 Newcastle United 
  • Nottingham Forest 4-0 Burnley
  • Southampton 1-1 Leicester City
  • Sunderland 1-0 Sheffield United
  • Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 Bristol City.

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