The celebrations are underway for Sporting Club Albion after they clinched The FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division title with a game to spare.
Albion hosted Bradford City on Sunday afternoon knowing a victory would land them the trophy – and they duly secured the three points with a 4-1 win, much to the delight of their home fans.
They could not have asked for a better start with Summer Holmes rifling in 20 yards out with just 11 minutes on the clock.
FA Women's Premier League
Northern & Southern Divisions
Sunday 15 May
By Jack Miller
And six minutes later it was 2-0 to the hosts as Kelly Darby headed in to double the scoreline.
Mid-table Bradford managed to hold their opponents at bay until the break but just two minutes after the restart Sammy Conroy converted from close range to make it 3-0.
Bradford did manage to pull a goal back but that was not going to put a dampener on proceedings and just to make sure, Abi Cottam’s header with eight minutes to go added the gloss for Sporting Club Albion.
The result means Albion move onto 50 points for the season, one ahead of Preston North End – but with the latter having played all their games, Albion cannot be caught regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s trip to Lougborough Foxes.
They will now play Brighton & Hove Albion – winners of the FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division – with the winners crowned FAWPL National Champions on May 29th.
There were two other games played in Northern Division on Sunday, with Nuneaton Town missing the chance to guarantee their own safety as they lost out 2-1 at home to Newcastle United.
Third-bottom Nuneaton could have settled matters with victory despite Guiseley Vixens and Loughborough Foxes – two and three points behind in the table respectively – both having a game left to play.
But goals from Lauren Driver and Sophie Williams did the damage for the Magpies who picked up their seventh league win of the season – the most by their team since returning to the FA Women’s Premier League in 2012/2013.
Elsewhere Stoke City went third in the table after a 4-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
One up at the interval, Stoke turned the screw in the second half to lead 4-0 meaning Moriah McIntosh’s late goal was no more than a consolation for the visitors, who themselves are sixth in the table.
There was just one game in the FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division on Sunday as Coventry United beat third-placed Cardiff City 2-0.
Holly Miles and Libby Piggott were on the scoresheet for the hosts – with the result meaning Coventry pipped Portsmouth to fourth position on goal difference with both tied on 44 points.
Champions Brighton were ten points clear at the top of the final table, with Charlton Athletic two points further back.
While at the other end, it was as you were before the weekend, with Plymouth Argyle finishing bottom on six points, two less than Forest Green Rovers.
