Three of West Ham United women’s team’s loanees were in action for their respective temporary clubs at the weekend.
Jessie Stapleton was on target for Sunderland as the Lasses maintained their Barclays Women’s Championship promotion challenge with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers.
Republic of Ireland international centre-back Stapleton took advantage of an error from Blackburn goalkeeper Poppy Soper to steer a left-foot volley inside the far post from a corner.
That goal gave Sunderland an 18th-minute lead at Ewood Park, and the visitors went close from two more corners to take a lead into the half-time break. However, Blackburn hit back in almost identical fashion six minutes into the second half, when Rovers centre-back Emma Taylor headed a corner powerfully past Sunderland goalkeeper Demi Lambourne.
Stapleton’s fellow West Ham loanee Keira Flannery started in midfield and played for 60 minutes before being replaced by Jenna Dear.
Both sides went close to netting a winner late on, with Sunderland striker Eleanor Dale seeing a header tipped onto the crossbar by Soper, but it ended a goal and a point each to leave the Lasses sixth in a congested WSL 2 table.
Leaders Birmingham City have 23 points from 12 games, ahead of Bristol City on goal difference. London City and Durham have 22 points, then Charlton and Sunderland have 21 and Newcastle are on 19, meaning seven clubs are in the race for promotion to the Barclays Women’s Super League. Sunderland host leaders Birmingham in their next match this coming Sunday 2 February at 2pm.
Elsewhere, Macey Nicholls started for Hashtag United in their 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest in the FA Women’s National League Cup semi-finals.
A late penalty scored by Forest’s Charlie Welling was the only thing that separated the sides at Parkside in Aveley, ending Hashtag’s defence of the trophy. Nicholls is dual-registered with Hashtag and scored in the Essex club’s victory over Newcastle in last season’s final.
Goalkeeper Katelin Talbert joined Aston Villa on loan last week and was an unused substitute in Villa’s 4-2 home defeat by Manchester City in the WSL on Saturday.
