Women’s Super League

THE FA have referred Aston Villa’s fielding of an ineligible player in a Conti Cup clash to an independent tribunal.The case of the WSL side’s alleged breach of contest regulations was passed to Sports Resolutions UK this evening as part of the FA investigations.
Noelle Maritz (left) was deployed as a substitute by Aston Villa during their group stage clash with Sunderland in the Conti Cup on WednesdayCredit: Getty
The former Arsenal defender came on in the 46th minute of the fixture replacing Rachel CorsieCredit: PA
It follows Villa’s 7-0 hammering of Sunderland in the Continental Tyres Cup group stage on Wednesday night.
Former Arsenal defender Noelle Maritz, who joined the club in a transfer from the Gunners this month, made an appearance as substitute in the game’s second half.
The Switzerland international had also played for the North London side in another group stage fixture in the League Cup earlier this term.
Maritz was included in the line-up of Jonas Eidevall’s team when they beat Tottenham 4-3 on penalties in December. 
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Their victory followed a 3-3 draw in normal time in the group stage encounter.
However, contest rules forbid players from competing for more than one team in the competition within the same term.
On Thursday evening football’s governing body revealed they are investigating the matter following the alleged breach.
A written statement on the FA’s web site read: “We can confirm that we are investigating an alleged breach of Cup Rule 8.19 by Aston Villa during their FA Continental Tyres League Cup fixture against Sunderland on Wednesday 24 January.
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“In accordance with competition rules, this matter has been referred to Sports Resolutions UK for consideration by an independent tribunal. Further updates will be confirmed in due course.”
Rule 8.19 states “no player may play for more than one club in the cup competition in a playing season”.
In a similar case back in 2014 Reading were axed from the Women’s League Cup that year.
The Royals included Bonnie Horwood in one of their games despite the midfielder making three appearances for Watford earlier in the season’s contest
Villa’s defeat of Sunderland meant the Midlands outfit had hypothetically reached the Conti Cup’s quarter-finals after finishing top of Group A.
Villa return to WSL action with a trip to Manchester United this SundayCredit: Getty
However, the WSL team  will now have to wait for the outcome of the independent tribunal hearing.
And Sunderland, must also wait to discover if they will be awarded a retrospective victory – and become one of the best finishing runners-up in the contest – following Villa’s rule breach. 
The team, who are second in the Women’s Championship, will face Blackburn Rovers in the division on Sunday. More

EMMA HAYES admits she has never seen a player do the things Lauren James does following her ruthless display against Manchester United. The fearless forward wowed with her attacking flair as Chelsea opened up a ten-point gap on their rivals with a 3-1 win on Sunday.
Goals in both spells from Lauren James helped Chelsea dispatch Man United at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty
The Blues forward is currently the second highest scorer in the league this season with ten goalsCredit: Getty
Her second hat-trick at Stamford Bridge this season, watched by a crowd of more than 20,000, denied United hopes of a point.
And James prompted pantomime jeers from her old club’s fans by marking her opening goal with a jubilant jog to the away end with smiles in response to the boos.
After the game, Blues chief Hayes said: “I think she enjoyed that. I don’t mind these things in the women’s game. You give someone stick, you have to get it in return right?”
“I’ve never seen a player like Lauren do the things she does individually.
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“She’s so explosive, but she’s got a left and a right foot, that’s the thing.
“Often you play against players, and you know they’ve got strong sides, but for Lauren I think she can do it on both feet. 
“I thought it was a brilliant, brilliant performance from the whole team.”
Of her celebration for Chelsea’s opener following the earlier away end boos, James admitted she joined silencing the jeers.
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She told BBC Sport: “Yes for sure (it was nice to silence them).
“But for me it’s just about focusing on what I can do and silencing anyone who is hating as well.
“I’ve got to focus on myself and helping the team.”
Chelsea’s victory maintained their unbeaten run against the Red Devil in the WSL.
The leaders have now claimed seven wins in eight WSL meetings with their foes.
And James took her league goal tally to 10 in 10 games so far this term.
Hayes added: “I was impressed with her whole performance. I think focusing on those qualities (of her hat-trick) would sell it short.
“She’s shown her qualities as a nine and a 10. She carried out the game plan and her role in that game plan to perfection.”
On of her side’s overall display Hayes said: “One of the things we’ve been talking about in the background – and led by the players and driven by them – is what is a Chelsea standard?
“I think we showed that. This was our best performance of the season (so far) It looked like the standards we’ve set, but also, it was brave.”
Chelsea flew out of the traps taking a fifth-minute lead with James firing past Mary Earps moments after being booed by away fans while taking a corner kick.
And she doubled their lead, pouncing on Nathalie Bjorn’s long ball to slot in her second with 22 minutes gone.
Man United mounted a fight-back with Geyse causing problems on the counter and teeing up Hayley Ladd’s smashed finish to make it 2-1 near half-time.
They pushed hard for a leveller with Toone seeing a scuffed effort cleared from the box.
The visitors were angered to see spot-kick appeals denied after Leah Galton fell in the penalty area after battling for the ball with Ashley Lawrence.
Skinner said: “I think it was a big decision in the game and I’ve spoken to the referee and was speaking about higher threshold of contact.  
“I still believe – and it’s my personal opinion – that if a player is applying contact behind a player that’s got across them, and it spins around – and Leah has not dived, right?
Man United felt that should have been awarded a penalty following Leah Galton’s and Ashley Lawrence’s second-half tussle in the boxCredit: Alamy
“So there’s contact enough for me for a penalty.”
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James’ 85th minute finish buried the chances of a draw with the loss leaving United’s title hopes looking slimmer.
They will hope to bounce back when they host Aston Villa this Sunday following their midweek Conti Cup group stage clash with Manchester City. More

EMMA HAYES is committed as she has ever been as she approaches the final months in charge of Chelsea with her title-holders chasing a seventh WSL crown.And the Blues head coach is determined to leave her team in the best place for her eventual successor.
Emma Hayes’ Blues aim to register their ninth win in 11 WSL games this season when they take on Manchester UnitedCredit: Reuters
The Chelsea boss is due to become the first woman to receive the Football Writers’ Association Tribune AwardCredit: Getty
This lunchtime Hayes’ players resume their push to become WSL champions for a fourth successive season.
The team, who this week announced a sponsorship with Skoda, host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
And they aim to maintain their record of having never lost a league match to the Red Devils having won six of their last seven top-flight encounters.
The match will take place hours ahead of the Chelsea chief becoming the first female coach to receive the Football Writers’ Association Tribute Award.
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The gong is being awarded in honour of her trophy-winning success at the club since taking charge in 2012.
It will also be the final home game in the league against United Hayes with the head coach leaving to take charge of the USA Women’s national team this summer.
When asked if she felt her impending departure might affect her players performance, Hayes said: “I can’t control people and what they do.
“But if anyone wants to make my departure an excuse for themselves, I can’t stop that.
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“What I know is that the people that really, really want to push themselves and challenge to be the very best, they will do it regardless.
“I do not feel that things would be any different to what it would be 12 months ago if I was maintaining my position (here at Chelsea).
“I’m very much a person who has to lead by example.
“I recognise that if I drop by even one per cent, it gives lots of them an excuse to say, ‘she’s not committed’, so I challenge myself daily to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“I’m in charge of myself, I’m responsible for me, I’m responsible for them standards. I don’t need anyone else to hold me to that.
“I drive two hours every day, get my child to school, get here, do my job, do it six days a week. I’m committed as I’ve ever been.”
Victory against United the Blues’ first WSL home game this year would see them open up a three-point gap at the top of the table.
Rivals Arsenal are currently second and Manchester City sit third on 25 points each with the latter hosting Liverpool later.
And this afternoon the league leaders will play their first top-flight game of this year without the services of Sam Kerr.
Earlier this month the Australia star, who has been serving as a stand-in captain following an injury to Millie Bright, sustained an ACL injury.
Last week the striker underwent surgery after rupturing a knee ligament whilst away on a winter training break with Chelsea and is sidelined for the rest of this term.
Despite Kerr’s absence Manchester United boss Marc Skinner believes the Blues have enough attacking depth to remain a threat to their title rivals.
This term has seen some of the Blues other forwards shine in action for their side including Mia Fishel and Aggie Beever-Jones.
Beever-Jones, who is an England Under-23s starlet, as notched up five goals in seven WSL games this season.
Her efforts include a dream headed finish against Liverpool in her side’s 5-1 defeat of the Reds at Stamford Bridge last November.
Skinner said: “The ability Chelsea have to rotate is obvious.
“Emma has said herself that Aggie Beever-Jones is playing well and Lauren James and Fran Kirby.
“They have an amazing amount of depth. Everyone knows how good they are and how good Sam is.
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Aggie Beever-Jones has impressed for Chelsea this season and could be in line to feature against Man UnitedCredit: Getty
“We wish her all the very best with her recovery. It’s horrible to see anyone out with that (injury), let alone a player of her quality.”We are preparing a little bit differently.
“But I think Chelsea have many solutions they are able to find, we have to be prepared for all situations.” More

SHOCKING Manchester City in the Women’s FA Cup today would be a dream come true for Durham midfielder Saoirse Noonan.Like childhood pal and Luton winger Chiedozie Ogbene, Noonan wants to keep her side’s run going.
Republic of Ireland ace Saoirse Noonan hopes Durham can give Manchester City a run for their money in their FA Cup clash laterCredit: Sportsfile
Noonan and her team-mates host the WSL title chasers in a fourth round lunchtime clash todayCredit: Alamy
Prem ace Ogbene, 26, faces a third-round replay at Bolton on Tuesday while Noonan, 24, wants to help her second-tier Wildcats to an upset against the visiting WSL giants.
The Irish pair grew up on the same estate in Cork and Noonan said: “We came through the same ranks of playing Gaelic football with Nemo Rangers and both went on to play football for Cork City.
“We grew up across the road from each other. We (my Dad and me) used to collect Chiedozie every day and bring him to training.  
We came through the same ranks of playing Gaelic football with Nemo Rangers, our local club, and then we both went on to play (football for) Cork City.
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“My Dad was coaching my brother’s (football) team, so I trained with them
“Then we both moved on from there and we both played for Championship sides.  From there, he excelled in the Premiership.
“He is one of the (league’s) fastest players beating the likes of Manchester City’s Kyle Walker.  
“I think just looking at that gives everyone a bit of hope and (that’s) definitely so for me when I speak to him.”
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This lunchtime Noonan and her pals face City in a fourth-round clash set to be attended by a sell-out crowd at Durham University’s Graham Sports Centre.
The match comes 11 months after Durham, who are sixth in the Women’s Championship and six points off promotion chasing leaders Birmingham, faced Man United in the FA Cup.
Last February the Wildcats fell to a 5-0 fifth-round loss to Marc Skinner’s aces.
However, this year Noonan hopes her team can give the Red Devils’ neighbours a run for their money.
Durham are one of only two sides left in the contest who are standalone women’s teams unaffiliated with a men’s club.
She added: “We’re Durham, and we’re a small team with no men’s team backing (us).
“That just goes to show the hard work of everyone and commitment by everyone.
“It’s 90 minutes and we have them at home which is obviously a huge help to us.
“We’re on a 4G (pitch) and maybe it’s a slightly smaller pitch than there used to. 
“This is a huge day for Durham. All our fans are coming and it’s sold-out.
“We just need to bounce off that, use their energy, feed off it and come to the game with loads of energy.
“We can’t shy away and we cannot go in with fear. We have respect for their players.
“But at the end of the day we have to try just as hard as them and not give them the respect and stand back and leave them to boss us off the pitch.”
Like Ogbene, Noonan began her senior association football playing career at Cork City in 2015 after playing Gaelic football.
And she hopes their journeys in the game can inspire young footballers back home dreaming of playing in the professional game.
Noonan said: “For me growing up, we didn’t have as many female role models playing professional football.
“It wasn’t a thing that you could say, ‘I’m going to go and make it my full-time job.
“I think I’m blessed enough that I get to wake up every morning and my job is going to kick a ball around.
Noonan hopes she and her childhood pal Chiedozie Ogbene can inspire young footballers back home in CorkCredit: Alamy
“But we’ve (Chiedozie and me) have worked hard enough to get to where we are.
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“I think it shows now when I go home, the little girls can think, ‘I can do that as a living, and I don’t have to do 101 thing is just kick a ball on Tuesday evening’.
“You can actually make it your life.” More

NATHALIE BJORN hopes to help Chelsea maintain their trophy-winning ways after sealing a transfer from WSL rivals Everton.The Sweden international, 26, was announced as the WSL leaders’ newest player on Wednesday after two-and-a-half years with the Toffees.
Chelsea reportedly beat off competition from Real Madrid to sign Nathalie BjornCredit: Getty
The former Everton centre-back has joined the club who are chasing a seventh WSL titleCredit: Getty
The league leaders, who face West Ham in the Women’s FA Cup on fourth round on Sunday, are reported to have met Everton’s release clause for the player earlier this week.
It is thought they paid a six-figure sum for the versatile, central defender who can also play in midfield.
The move saw the club beat off competition from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The LaLiga Women’s side are thought to have been keen on signing Bjorn who had made 44 WSL appearances for her former club.

Of her Chelsea switch, the ex-Toffees ace said: “It feels amazing to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe I can’t wait to get started to play the big games.
“This league is a really, really good league. I would say it’s the best league we have in the world right now.
“I want to help the team as much possible, I want to win as much as possible.”
Blues general manager Paul Green added: “Nathalie is a very experienced, versatile player that we have been tracking for a long time.
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“She is a leader, has good pace, is good on the ball, and knows our league very well.
“We are really pleased to get the deal over the line and look forward to seeing her make a good impact in the squad now and over the upcoming years.”
Bjorn’s arrival sees Emma Hayes’ side strengthen their defensive ranks following injuries to skipper Millie Bright and defender Aniek Nouwen.
The duo were both sidelined last November and December with Bright being treated for a knee concern and Nouwen rupturing a knee ligament while on national duty with the Netherlands.
And the six-time WSL champions were dealt another injury blow this month with stand-in captain and star striker Sam Kerr crocked.
The Australia skipper sustained an anterior cruciate ligament whilst away on a winter training camp in Morocco with her club pals.
Bjorn, who joined former club Everton in 2021 from Swedish giants Rosengard, made 44 top-flight appearances for the Toffees.
Bjorn’s Chelsea move will see her play alongside Sweden international team-mates Zecira Musovic and Johanna Rytting KanerydCredit: Reuters
And she helped them finish sixth last season.
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The centre-back, who began her career in 2012 at Vaksala SK, was part of the Sweden side that finished third in the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last August.
She also helped her national side to a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s football tournament in Japan. More

A Women’s National League game was abandoned this afternoon following a “nasty injury” to full-back Megan Tinsley.The match between Derby County and Liverpool Feds was paused with just a few minutes left to play following the incident.
Derby’s match against Liverpool Feds was abandoned following a serious injury to Megan TinsleyCredit: Rex

It was later confirmed that it had been abandoned entirely.
A tweet from Derby County read: “We can now confirm the match has been abandoned. We wish Megan a speedy recovery.”
Liverpool Feds also sent well wishes to Tinsley with a tweet reading: “The game has been abandoned. All our thoughts are with the @DCFCWomen player and we wish her a speedy recovery.”
Derby later confirmed that the full-back had dislocated her ankle.
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A statement read: “As an update we can confirm that Megan Tinsley dislocated her ankle in the closing minutes of the game. She is now on her way to the hospital for treatment and in good spirits.
“Thank you for your messages and joining us in wishing her a speedy recovery.”
Derby were leading 2-1 before the match was suspended.
Chantelle Thompson opened the scoring for Feds in the seventh minute.
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However, the Rams bounced back with two late goals in two minutes from Charlotte Steggles and Eleanor Ashton.
Derby currently sit sixth in the Women’s National League North Division, two points behind Liverpool Feds.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to wish Tinsley well following her injury.
One person wrote: “Best wishes to Megan, I hope she makes a full recovery.”
Another said: “Sending all my love and wishing Meg a speedy recovery!”
A third commented: “Our very best wishes for Megan to recover quickly and fully from this injury. Such rotten luck.”
Tinsley celebrated her 26th birthday on Wednesday.
Last January she opened up about how a heart condition put her playing career on pause.
Speaking to BBC Radio Derby, the full-back bravely revealed that she had surgery to fix a hole in her heart as a child.
She said: “I went to the doctor about it because you are hearing about all the footballers who have collapsed on the pitch.
“With different sports people having trouble with their heart, and because I had that surgery, I was thinking ‘am I a bit of a higher risk? Could the worst happen?’
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“It got to a point where my heart was beating really, really fast, I was getting a few chest pains.
“The fact I could feel my heartbeat through my ears wasn’t the best thing. That’s when you put health before anything else.” More