MAN CITY WOMEN 2, CHELSEA WOMEN 1
Manchester City were party poopers denying Chelsea the Women’s Super League title with victory against the Londoners at the Regional Athletics Stadium.
And the win by second-bottom City handed the championship to Liverpool on a dramatic final day in which Chelsea, Birmingham and Liverpool could all have won the title.
But with Chelsea, who began the day with a two-point lead at the top, and Birmingham faltering, Liverpool, starting the afternoon in third spot, stepped forward to snatch the title on goal difference.
There was early drama when Chelsea lost keeper Marie Hourihan minutes into the match following a sickening collision with Georgia Bougham as she left for hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.
And Chelsea suffered another blow midway through the half when Jill Scott gave City the lead firing home a low drive from 25 yards which eluded substitute keeper Clare Farrow.
Chelsea’s afternoon got worse and City’s even better when Toni Duggan doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a spectacular shot into the top corner from outside the box.
With Liverpool leading Bristol 3-0, Chelsea needed at least a draw if they were to be corwned champions.
And they were handed a lifeline with 19 minutes left when Gilly Flaherty headed home a corner to half the deficit.
There hopes of getting a second goal were helped when City were reduced to 10 women when Abbie McManus was sent off for an elbowing offence.
Chelsea put the City goal under a late bombardment, but could not conjure the second goal which would have made them champions as City finished their debut season on a high.