Five West Ham United women’s team loanees were in action for their respective temporary clubs at the weekend...
Shannon Cooke and Birmingham City’s 2-2 draw at home to London City Lionesses on the final day of the Barclays Women’s Championship season meant they were unable to clinch promotion to the top flight on Sunday.
The Blues knew they had to win the clash at St Andrew’s Stadium if they were to be celebrating promotion come full-time, but they fell two goals down to the league leaders by the 59th minute after strikes from Isobel Goodwin and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.
Cooke’s side did make a fightback, though, and created a grandstand finish through Emily van Egmond and Cho So-hyun goals, but they were unable to find the third, as London City Lionesses were promoted to the Barclays Women’s Super League in dramatic fashion.
Elsewhere in the division, Jessie Stapleton and Keira Flannery ended the season with a victory as Sunderland defeated Sheffield United 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
The former, who was crowned the Sunderland Supporters' Group Young Player of the Season, played all 90 minutes of the fixture, while Flannery was introduced to proceedings late on in the second half.
With the game goalless at the break, Sunderland’s top-scorer Eleanor Dale slotted home a penalty minutes after half-time, before Emily Scarr made it two on 82. Blades substitute Monique Robinson halved the deficit in second-half stoppage time, but it was too little, too late from the visitors.
The result meant Sunderland finished their season seventh in the Championship standings.
Meanwhile, Halle Houssein started Beylerbeyi’s 4-0 hammering of Amed SK on Sunday. The home side netted two goals in either half, meaning they ended the campaign sixth in the Turkish Women's Football Super League table.
Elsewhere, Inès Belloumou played 80 minutes as Malmö FF drew 1-1 at Linköping in Sweden on Saturday. Isabella D'Aquila put Malmö ahead after just seven minutes, but the home side responded through Michelle De Jongh 15 minutes from time.
