FA Women's Super League: Five things we learned this weekend

An international break and the SSE Women’s FA Cup may sandwich the latest round of the FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship but there was still more than enough intrigue to get your teeth stuck into this weekend.

There was late drama across both divisions as the country’s best sides duked it once again while in the FA WSL, a rising star wrote her name in the history books with a record-breaking goalscoring feat.

Here are five things we learned from the weekend’s action.

All hail goal queen Miedema

There’s a new sheriff in town – Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema is celebrating owning a slice of FA Women’s Super League history after finding the net in the Gunners’ 3-0 win at Reading.

The 22-year-old Netherland international bagged her 16th league goal of the season, surpassing the 15 that Birmingham City’s Ellen White posted last term to move out on her own.

The question now will surely be how high she can set the bar between now and the end of the season, with title-chasing Arsenal bouncing back from defeat to Chelsea last time out, Kim Little’s penalty and Katie McCabe’s late strike adding to Miedema’s record-breaker.

Parris sizzles again

Having gone top of the tree last time out, Manchester City kept themselves at the summit of the FA WSL table with a routine 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Arsenal star Miedema may now have the league record for a single season but City have England forward Nikita Parris in their ranks – and the FA WSL’s all-time top-scorer struck twice to help down the Seagulls, her first coming from the penalty spot after Lauren Hemp had been fouled.

Defender Gemma Bonner also found the net in between Parris’ double, with City scoring all three of their goals inside the first half to stay a point ahead of the Gunners.

It’s all-White in the end for Birmingham

The Marta Tejedor era at Birmingham City got off to a rip-roaring start as the Blues’ helped further loosen Chelsea’s grip on the FA WSL title.

Perhaps spurred on by seeing Miedema surpass her season record, England striker Ellen White popped up with a superbly-taken injury-time winner to down reigning champions – and her former team – Chelsea 3-2 at Kingsmeadow.

Fourth-placed Birmingham, who also saw Emma Follis and Lucy Quinn find the net, move level on points with the west Londoners, making for a fine managerial bow for former Atletico Madrid and Chile boss Tejedor.

READ MORE: WSL – Aston Villa Ladies’ popular return to Villa Park earns widespread support

READ MORE: WSL – White late winner sees Birmingham dent title-chasing Chelsea’s hopes

Rianna tames the Lionesses

The theme of former players haunting their old employers continued at Princes Park as Rianna Dean broke Millwall Lionesses’ hearts to keep Tottenham Hotspur top of the FA Women’s Championship.

Beth Lumsden levelled things up in the 91st minute and looked to have earned bottom-of-the-table Millwall a superb point against title-chasing opposition – but for Dean’s late turn.

In the fifth minute of added time, the England Under-21 hotshot, who signed for Spurs last summer after grabbing 10 goals in 23 appearances for the Lionesses in 2017-18, notched the winner in dramatic style to earn her team a 3-2 triumph.

Addicks stay in the hunt

Charlton Atheltic’s Championship challenge shows little sign of slowing – they’re four points behind Spurs, level on points with Durham, who have played a game more.

They bagged their eighth win of the season so far with a 3-2 success over Sheffield United, Kit Graham’s header getting them up and running before goals from Lily Agg and Charley Clifford guided them home.

Spurs, Charlton and Durham will all, however, be wary of Manchester United, who have dropped down to fourth but have a swathe of games in hand over their rivals.

To follow all of the action during the season and to buy tickets, visit www.ticketstores.co.uk/fawsl/