Birmingham Ladies 0-4 Leeds Carnegie Ladies

Leeds Carnegie Ladies rose to the top of the Women’s National Premier League thanks to two goals each from Carla Cantrell and Ellen White.

Leeds won the reverse fixture 4-2 earlier in the season, and signalled their intent as early as the seventh minute this time round, when Cantrell pounced on a defensive slip to drive the ball past Birmingham keeper Wood’s right hand and score off the inside of the post.

White doubled Leeds’s advantage ten minutes later; a Mel Sutcliffe cross was blocked, and her second attempt found White ghosting into the box to flick the ball home for her 20th domestic goal of the season.

While both teams were making chances, Leeds were always the more likely to get the next goal, which Cantrell duly did in the 55th minute, Steph Houghton sliding the ball through on the left for Cantrell to run at the keeper. And it was Houghton who created Leeds’s fourth, a chipped pass from the left finding England debutante White in plenty of space, with time to round the keeper and get her sixth goal in three games this week.

Birmingham – who will play in the Women’s Super League next year – continued to push the visitors, but in truth although they did little wrong, they stood little chance against a confident Leeds side.

The news wasn’t so good for the reserves, however. A late goal saw them lose 2-1 at home to Sunderland, while keeper Jules Draycott suffered a dislocated shoulder.

Source: www.leedscarneigeladies.com