Kit Graham’s hat-trick took Charlton Athletic top of the FA Women’s Premier League Southern Division as they beat Queens Park Rangers 6-0 at Uxbridge.
The Addicks went one up after two minutes as Avilla Bergin’s corner was deflected in before Gemma Shepherd doubled the lead.
Shepherd then turned provider, sliding Graham through for her first for a 3-0 half-time lead before Northern Irish international Bergin teed up Graham for her second.
Bergin had two chances of her own, Sophie Cheadle producing a fine save to deny her first before being ruled offside after tucking the second away well.
Shepherd got her second with 19 minutes remaining before Bergin’s pass again put Graham through to complete her hat-trick and take Charlton one point clear at the league summit.
Nikki Miles scored twice for Coventry in a 3-1 victory over Lewes FC that moved them level on points with Cardiff City in second.
Jade Formaston added the gloss late on before a Lewes claimed a late consolation goal, leaving them in sixth.
Swindon Town and West Ham United played out an entertaining 2-2 draw as a late Whitney Locke goal pulled the Hammers back from a goal down to rescue a valuable point.
In the Northern Division, Middlesbrough put four second-half goals past West Bromwich Albion in a 4-0 win to close the gap on league-leaders Blackburn Rovers.
Having been kept goalless by ninth-place West Brom, Middlesbrough cut loose in the second half and they are now six points behind Blackburn – though they have played three more games.
An early Sarah Dobby goal was not enough for Huddersfield Town as Kate Asher and Ash Hayes left them trailing Stoke City 2-1. But Kate Mallin hit an 87th-minute equaliser to rescue a draw for Huddersfield, leaving them just a point behind sixth-place Fylde, while Stoke City moved level with Bradford City in fourth.
Leicester City claimed a sixth win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Midlands rivals Derby County that kept them in third place.
