AFC Bournemouth Women Hit Seven in FA Women’s National League Opener
Sheffield FC v Kidderminster Harriers. (Photo: clivejonespr.com)
Promoted AFC Bournemouth Women marked their arrival in the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division with a 7-0 win.
Northern Premier Division
Burnley 5-0 Middlesbrough
Hull City 1-0 Halifax
Liverpool Feds 0-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Att: 256)
Loughborough Lightning 1-1 West Bromwich Albion (Att: 132)
Rugby Borough 6-0 Derby County
Stoke City 3-1 Sporting Khalsa (Att: 159)
Rugby Borough hit Derby for six featuring a Sofia Mallon hat-trick despite her late introduction. Mel Lawley scored twice on her Burnley debut as Middlesbrough were beaten 5-0, Wolves had four different scorers at Liverpool Feds. Loughborough Lightning drew 1-1 with West Brom, as Ella-Mai Coutts quickly cancelled out Fran Orthodoxou’s opener. Shannon Stamps played a part in all the Stoke City goals as they saw off Sporting Khalsa 3-1, Hull City edged Halifax with a first-half goal from Jessica Tugby-Andrew
Southern Premier Division
AFC Bournemouth 7-0 Billericay Town (Att: 324)
AFC Wimbledon 1-2 Real Bedford (Att: 173)
Gwalia United 0-1 Oxford United (Att: 275)
Cheltenham Town 0-2 Exeter City (Att: 178)
Lewes 0-0 Watford (Att: 408)
Plymouth Argyle 3-0 Hashtag United (Att: 738)
Despite a red card for Molly Barron-Clark, AFC Bournemouth sank Billericay Town 7-0, Real Bedford struck a stoppage-time decider at AFC Wimbledon. Holly Turner scored the game’s only goal to give Oxford United the points at Gwalia United. Plymouth Argyle’s three first-half goals defeated Hashtag United, Bow Jackson and Sophie Gillies found the net as Exeter City won at Cheltenham Town, Lewes and Watford played out a goalless draw.
Marie Hourihan reacts to Argyle's opening day win over Hashtag United 💬#pafc
— Plymouth Argyle Women FC (@ArgyleWFC) August 17, 2025
Division One Midlands
Barnsley Women 3-1 Worcester City (Att: 173)
Lincoln United 0-3 Boldmere St Michaels (Att: 46)
Northampton Town 0-1 Leafield Athletic
Notts County 1-4 Peterborough United
Sheffield FC 1-0 Kidderminster Harriers (Att: 101)
Sutton Coldfield Town 4-2 Stourbridge (Att: 91)
Leafield Athletic made a great start with a Gemma Fraser winner at Northampton Town, Niamh Reynolds hit a hat-trick as Peterborough United came from a goal down at the break to win 4-1 at Notts County. Sheffield FC edged Kidderminster with a Lauren Winter header, but were grateful to Leah Kellogg for saving a Harriers’ penalty. Sutton Coldfield Town fought back from 2-1 down for a 4-2 result over Stourbridge, as Eva Cassidy bagged a late brace. It was three goals and as may points for Boldmere at Lincoln United, Helen Lynskey’s 90th-minute goal secured the win for Barnsley Women after Worcester City had halved the deficit late on.
Watch a clip of Helen Lynskey sealing a 3-1 win.#youreds #barnsleywfc #bwfc pic.twitter.com/iJ9A2LY1gC
— Barnsley Women’s Football Club (@BarnsleyWFC) August 17, 2025
Division One North
Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Cheadle Town Stingers
Huddersfield Town 3-0 Doncaster Rovers Belles (Att: 182)
Leeds United 1-1 Chorley (Att: 310)
Norton & Stockton Ancients 1-0 Chester le Street Town (Att: 190)
Stockport County 5-0 Wythenshawe (Att: 160)
York City 2-1 Durham Cestria (Att: 83)
Cheadle’s Jess Gillin and Jess Lightfoot got the goals away to Blackburn, Alise Gindra contributed a double to Huddersfield’s defeat of Doncaster. Leeds went ahead against Chorley through Macy Ellis but the visitors soon equalised through Lizzy Hamer, before United substitute Sian Gibrill-Keating was red-carded. Norton’s Bianca Owens made a 87th-minute breakthrough against Chester le Street, Niamh Doody scored a decisive second as York just got the better of Durham Cestria. Stockport gave Wythenshawe a tough introduction to the league, with five players on the scoresheet.
Division One South East
AFC Sudbury 1-5 Chatham Town
Chesham United 0-4 London Bees (Att: 107)
Fulham 2-1 Cambridge United (Att: 122)
Luton Town 3-1 Dulwich Hamlet (Att: 210)
Milton Keynes Dons 0-7 Queens Park Rangers (Att: 312)
Norwich City 4-0 Actonians (Att: 372)
Four goals from Grace Stanley helped QPR storm to a 7-0 success at MK Dons, Norwich City netted four times past Actonians. Fulham’s Ellie Olds grabbed a 90th-minute winner at home to Cambridge United, Tasha Fensome struck twice for Luton including a penalty as Dulwich lost out 3-1 after missing from the spot themselves. Chatham’s first-half treble set them up for a 5-1 success at Sudbury, London Bees sealed a 4-0 win at Chesham with three efforts after the interval.
Starting the season on the front foot ⚡️@ChrisFoxwellPh1 📸 pic.twitter.com/FthGSAtqaT
— QPR FC Women (@QPRWFC) August 17, 2025
Division One South West
Bournemouth Sports 1-4 Abingdon United (Att: 70)
Bristol Rovers 1-0 Ascot United (Att: 260)
Keynsham Town 2-0 Marine Academy Plymouth (Att: 72)
Moneyfields 3-1 Bridgwater United
Portishead Town 4-5 Worthing (Att: 96)
Swindon Town 4-1 Maidenhead United (Att: 424)
Worthing’s Amber Hazelwood decided a nine-goal thriller in the 90th-minute, after Portishead had got back on level terms from trailing 4-2. Bristol Rovers beat Ascot with Maisy Collis’s strike approaching the last quarter of an hour, Keynsham caught Marine Academy on the break to double their lead in the second period. Moneyfields beat Bridgwater 3-1 aided by two Megan Fox goals, Annie Colston also got a couple as Swindon overcame Maidenhead 4-1 despite a United equaliser. Mollie Dyer was at the double during Abingdon United’s result away to Bournemouth Sports