Six of West Ham United women’s team’s loanees were in action with their respective temporary clubs at the weekend.
Shannon Cooke scored a 40-yard screamer to help Birmingham City beat visiting Sheffield United 1-0 on Sunday.
The defender picked up the ball up just outside the centre circle in the Blades half, took one touch to set herself and unleashed a stunning strike into the top-right corner to give the Blues the lead ten minutes before half-time.
The goal was worthy of winning any football match and it secured the home side another vital three points, as they maintained their spot at the summit of the Barclays Women’s Championship standings.
They sit a point above London City Lionesses, who ran out 2-0 winners at home to Sunderland at the weekend.
This goal. On repeat. 🔁#BCFC pic.twitter.com/d2chnd402N
— Birmingham City Women (@BCFCWomen) February 17, 2025
While Hammers loanee Jessie Stapleton was introduced to proceedings by Sunderland manager Melanie Reay at half-time, first-half goals from Isobel Goodwin and Kosovare Asllani proved to be the difference between the two teams at Hayes Lane. Meanwhile, Keira Flannery remained an unused substitute.
The Lasses remain sixth in the Championship table, but only eight points off Birmingham.
Elsewhere, Macey Nicholls and Ellie Moore were both substitutes for Hashtag United, who stormed into the final of the BBC Essex Women’s Cup with a scintillating 12-1 hammering of visiting Barking.
The Tags were seven to the good at half-time, then added another five to their tally in the second half, and it was Eloise King who starred for the hosts, netting four goals.
Nicholls and Moore will hope to help Hashtag defend their title in the showpiece when they face Billericay Town on Thursday 10 April, with kick-off at 7.45pm.
Meanwhile, Ruby Doe made her first start for Ipswich Town on Sunday in the Tractor Girls’ 2-1 victory at home to Exeter City.
The forward played 81 minutes of the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division clash as goals from Sophie Peskett and substitute Ella Rutherford helped Town climb to the top of the table, leapfrogging Hashtag in the process.
Inès Belloumou was also celebrating success as she was on target for Malmö in the Swedish club’s 3-0 pre-season victory over Danish outfit Boldklubben AF on Friday.
The full-back opened the scoring in the 56th minute as Mia Persson and Lovisa Gustafsson also found the back of the net for Malmö, who will face Brondby on Saturday in their final pre-season friendly.
In the Barclays Women’s Super League, goalkeeper Katelin Talbert was an unused substitute in Aston Villa’s 3-0 defeat at Leicester City, as a brace from Janice Cayman and a Julie Thibaud goal secured victory for the Foxes.
