Women's football round-up: Crystal Palace defeat leaves Aston Villa a point off the bottom

The race to stay in the top flight has been blown wide open as Villa missed out on a key chance to go seven points clear of bottom club Palace, who instead closed to within a point despite a late goal from Lucy Parker.

Villa remain without a league win in 2025 and are now the most out of form side in the division, and forward Kirsty Hanson stressed the importance of picking up points before the season’s end.

She said: “It’s very disappointing. Obviously, it was a game to win, but we didn’t get that win. And obviously a not so good performance from us.

“I think we had a lot of chances. We were in their half a lot, but they had those three chances and, again, same story. They took them and scored them."

On the challenge ahead, she added: “Every game’s tough. We want to take points off every team. We’re still trying to do that.

“We’ve still got plenty of games left to pick up points, so it’s about picking ourselves up, getting together as a team, staff, fixing what’s wrong and make sure we pick up points – as many as we can now.”

Birmingham City got their fourth straight win to stay top of the Women’s Championship, scoring twice before the break to beat Southampton 2-1.

Simone Magill took the lead for the blues with an early penalty, before Choe Yuri doubled their lead on 36 minutes.

In the National League Northern Premier, Sporting Khalsa got an important point to move eight points clear of the relegation places, drawing 2-2 with Rugby Borough thanks to goals from Layla Kennerley and Laura Smith.

Stourbridge remain second from bottom after losing 2-0 to Hull City, while West Brom lost 3-0 to Burnley and stay seventh.

Lye Town retook the West Midlands League Premier Division’s top spot, beating struggling Solihull Sporting 1-0. Britanee Lote netted.

Walsall did the double over Division One North leaders Lichfield City, winning 3-2 and climbing to fourth.

Mia Fellows bagged a brace before Molly Cook scored the decider, despite goals from City’s Shelbie Cartwright and Saddiqa Shan.

Hednesford Town continued their march to the top of the table and currently sit second after demolishing Walsall Wood 9-0.

They remain unbeaten in the division thanks to goals from Leigh Dugmore (three), Hazzana Parnell (three) and Ria Elsmore (two), alongside an own goal.

Halesowen Town’s Natasha Bailey and Kirsty Spencer both netted in their 2-1 victory at Long Itchington, to stay fourth in Division One South.