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Katie McCabe's Arsenal edged past Reading. PA
Irish Eye

Man United go top of WSL as Ireland's World Cup history-makers return to club duty

From own goals to absentees, there was no shortage of talking points.

ENGLAND MIDFIELDER ELLA Toone starred as Manchester United climbed to the top of the Women’s Super League with a 4-0 demolition of Brighton.

Toone scored with a 14th-minute header and then doubled the home side’s advantage with a composed finish after 26 minutes before providing the assist which allowed Leah Galton to make it 3-0 at the break.

Substitute Adriana Leon completed the scoring 12 minutes from time to send United top.

Megan Walsh was in goal for Brighton, while Megan Connolly returned to the matchday squad after injury. The Cork midfielder sustained “broken ribs and bruised kidney” in last month’s World Cup qualifier against Finland, and missed Tuesday’s monumental play-off win over Scotland.

Arsenal sit in second place on goal difference after a hard-fought 1-0 win at lowly Reading. Ireland’s history-making captain Katie McCabe played most of the game for the Gunners, and was booked in the second half, but neither Grace Moloney or Diane Caldwell featured for the Royals. Goalkeeper Moloney wasn’t in the matchday squad.

Stina Blackstenius set the Gunners on their way with a 30th-minute snapshot, although they failed to make the most of their dominance and squandered a chance to extend their lead when Kim Little saw her penalty saved by Jackie Burns on the hour.

They might have been made to pay nine minutes later when Lily Woodham’s corner came back off the post, and it took a fine reaction save by keeper Manuela Zinsberger, who kept a record eighth successive clean sheet in the process, to deny Natasha Dowie an 80th-minute equaliser.

Elsewhere, Pernille Harder’s double helped Chelsea maintain pace with the top two courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Everton.

The Denmark international headed the Blues into a 37th-minute lead from Guro Reiten’s cross and after Kadeisha Buchanan’s own goal had dragged the hosts back into it, converted a 59th-minute penalty awarded for Courtney Brosnan’s challenge on Reiten.

However, it was left to substitute Niamh Charles to wrap up the points with a third in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Khadija Shaw also scored twice as Manchester City belatedly opened their account with a first league win of the season.

Shaw headed City in front against Leicester from Lauren Hemp’s cross after 24 minutes, although the home side had to be patient as they attempted to kill off the game.

Hemp finally extended their advantage when she converted Chloe Kelly’s 72nd-minute cross and after Alex Greenwood had seen her penalty saved by Kirstie Levell, Shaw added her second before Yui Hasegawa made it 4-0 at the death.

And there was misfortune for another Irish international as Niamh Fahey’s own goal was enough to edge Tottenham to a 1-0 home win over Liverpool.

The vastly-experienced defender deflected Celin Bizet Ildhusoy’s 11th-minute shot past keeper Rachael Laws for the game’s only goal despite a strong finish by the visitors.

Megan Campbell was introduced as a second-half sub for the Reds, as Leanne Kiernan continues her injury comeback.

Yesterday, West Ham scored twice in the opening 14 minutes to condemn Aston Villa to their first defeat of the season with a 2-1 win.

The Hammers cruised into a two-goal lead early on thanks to efforts from Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Honoka Hayashi and, although Villa pulled one back in the second half through Kenza Dali, the visitors held on, despite a late red card for Hawa Cissoko and ugly scenes which marred the closing minutes.

Izzy Atkinson came on for West Ham with injured duo Jess Ziu (West Ham, ACL) and Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa, foot) missing out.

Meanwhile in the Championship today, there were also some Irish winners.

Saoirse Noonan and Naoisha McAloon helped Durham to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Lewes. Northern Ireland international Sarah McFadden scored a 97th-minute, which cancelled out two earlier penalties — Lewes’ was scored by German-born Irish underage international Emily Kraft.

Hayley Nolan and Lily Agg both featured as London City Lionesses enjoyed a 5-0 win at Coventry United. Nolan started, and Agg came off the bench, with Rianna Jarrett also on the books at the Lionesses.

Chloe Mustaki played as Bristol City and Sheffield United finished 1-1, while Irish-heavy Birmingham travel to Southampton tomorrow. Louise Quinn, Jamie Finn, Harriet Scott, Lucy Quinn and Eleanor Ryan Doyle all play their club football for the Blues.

In Scotland, Ciara Grant opened her goal-scoring account for Hearts this afternoon.  She scored a cracking third goal as Hearts defeated Aberdeen 3-0.

“Delighted to get my first goal in Maroon,” the Donegal midfielder wrote on Twitter afterwards. “Nice way to end an incredible week, made even more special having my folks over (haven’t seen me play in 12 months).”

Eileen Gleeson’s Glasgow City thumped Hamilton 6-0 — Emily Whelan started, but Claire Walsh wasn’t in the matchday squad nor was the injured Aoife Colvill — while Claire O’Riordan was held in reserve in Celtic’s 7-0 hammering of Glasgow Girls.

Further afield, Ireland’s historic goal-scoring hero Amber Barrett suffered defeat with her Turbine Potsdam side in the Frauen-Bundesliga.

Typically a striker, she continued to line out at right-back for her club, as they were beaten 2-0 by heavyweights Wolfsburg.

And Kyra Carusa scored in Danish league leaders HB Koge’s 4-3 win over FC Thy-Thisted.

- Additional reporting from Emma Duffy.

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