Brighton & Hove Albion maintained their two-point lead at the top of the FA Women’s Premier League South Division with a 6-1 thrashing of C&K Basildon.
After six consecutive clean sheets, Basildon shocked the home side by scoring inside nine minutes, Zoe Rushen netting from an Amy Nash set-piece.
However, the goal seemed to spark Albion into life, and they were 2-1 up nine minutes later, as Charlotte Gurr and Kate Natkiel turned the game on its head.
Kirsty Barton’s fourth goal of the season just after the half-hour mark put the game beyond reasonable doubt as Albion dominated the match.
After the break any thoughts of a comeback quickly vanished by goals from Jay Blackie and Deanna Cooper, before Amy Taylor became the seventh goalscorer of the day with 17 minutes left.
Charlton Athletic kept up with the South Division pace-setters by being the first side to beat Portsmouth this season, with a 4-1 win at Privett Park.
Gemma Shepherd fired home from 25 yards to take the lead for Charlton, before Kit Graham got the second before half-time, and Jenny Newman had a goal ruled out for offside.
However, Newman got her goal shortly after the break, following up Nikita Whinnett’s blocked shot to make it 3-0.
Whinnett got a goal of her own before Portsmouth grabbed a late equaliser – as Lucy Quinn scored an outrageous goal from the touchline.
Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a midweek defeat to Charlton by beating Forest Green Rovers at Wisloe Road.
It took Spurs 54 minutes to open the scoring though, before Leah Rawle finally gave them the lead.
After that it was plain sailing, as the visitors scored four more to seal their fourth victory of the season.
At the bottom of the South Division, Queens Park Rangers were hoping to break their season duck when they hosted Plymouth Argyle, also seeking their first league win of the year.
However it was the away side who would open their account, despite Natalie Volpini’s sending off, as Mollie Taylor scored twice to give Argyle a 2-1 victory.
In the final game of the weekend, Lewes failed to score for the fourth straight game, as Coventry United romped to a 5-0 win.
Northern Division
Sporting Club Albion moved into second place in the FA Women’s Premier League North and maintained their 100 per cent record at home this season, as they thrashed Nuneaton Town at The Grove.
Hazzana Parnell’s fourth goal of the season gave Albion the lead after just 21 minutes, before Trina Greaves made it two just three minutes later.
Top scorer Leigh Dunmore made it three before the interval, and the onslaught continued after the break when Abigail Cottam produced a classy finish to make it 4-0.
Leigh Dumore grabbed her second of the game and seventh of the season with 38 minutes to go, but Albion were unable to add to their tally for the rest of the game.
With 15 minutes left, Kayleigh Steele grabbed a consolation for Town, but the result was secure, and Albion have now scored 13 goals in their first three home games.
Derby County had started the day top of the table, but a disappointing defeat at home to Huddersfield Town meant they end the day in third.
County should have been ahead when Melissa Johnson was tripped in the box just before the break, but captain Samantha Griffiths saw her penalty saved by Laura Carter.
Almost immediately, Huddersfield went down the other end and Megan Clarkson gave away the second penalty of the game, which Emily Heckler slotted with confidence.
The away side could have made it two, hitting the post late on, but it remained 1-0, and Huddersfield recorded a valuable clean sheet, having conceded 11 goals in their last four league games.
Newcastle United and Loughborough Foxes shared six goals in the North East, but it was the home side who came out on top.
Goals from Dannika Purdham and Emma Hewett gave Newcastle a 2-0 advantage going into half-time.
Loughborough grabbed two of their own in the second half, but Ellen Turnbull and Jess Havelock both scored to ensure that the Foxes would head south empty-handed.
An Annabel McKechnie double made Nottingham Forest’s trip to Nethermoor worthwhile as they inflicted Guiseley Vixens’ sixth straight defeat of the season, winning 2-1.
McKechnie gave Forest an early lead, but after a Guiseley corner was cleared off the line, Nadine Bates reacted fastest to beat goalkeeper Vanessa Kinnerley and make it 1-1.
However, a fine cross from Demi Greenan found McKechnie unmarked in the area, and she made no mistake, heading home what proved to be the winner.
Stoke City kept up their record as the only unbeaten team in the division and also took top spot as they beat Bradford City 4-1 at Plumpton Park.
Bradford had won their last two home games, but found themselves 1-0 down at half-time to an early penalty.
Stoke did eventually double their lead though, as a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards made it 2-0 just after half-time.
It was soon three, Stoke grabbed a fourth with 14 minutes remaining, although Bradford were able to grab a consolation with three minutes left.
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