WSL roundup: Tottenham level with Arsenal at top after win over Leicester

Tottenham joined Arsenal at the top of the Women’s Super League with a 2-0 victory at Leicester. Goals from Rachel Williams and Angela Addison secured another win for Rehanne Skinner’s side who moved level with their north London rivals on 12 points from four games.

Williams opened the scoring after 38 minutes, rifling the ball past the Leicester keeper Kirstie Levell from inside the box. Leicester, who appointed the former striker Emile Heskey as the club’s head of women’s football development last week, struggled to fashion clear-cut chances against compact opponents.

Tottenham clinched victory two minutes from time when Rosella Ayane and Williams combined for Addison to slot home.

Manchester City’s difficult start to the season continued as West Ham claimed a 2-0 away victory. Last season’s runners-up have won only once in their opening four games and are now nine points off the pace.

West Ham took a 39th-minute lead through Dagny Brynjarsdottir’s far-post header. City’s Ellen White had a goal ruled out for offside and Laura Coombs struck the post before Yui Hasegawa’s injury-time stunner secured the points for the visitors.

City’s manager, Gareth Taylor, believes he is capable of turning his side’s fortunes around despite their disappointingstart. “I hope so. I still believe massively,” he said. “I think I have proved I can bring a brand of football that is exciting to watch but is winning football.

“We are up against it. Everything seems to be going against us. We won’t get help from anywhere else, we have to do it ourselves. I still thought we had enough out there to win it and we didn’t. We are always fighting all the way.”

Manchester United bounced back from their hammering by Chelsea last week with a 2-0 win at Birmingham. Leah Galton gave Marc Skinner’s side the lead in the first half before Ella Toone’s late goal wrapped up victory.

Everton won 3-0 at Reading with Anna Anvegard, Claire Emslie and Danielle Turner all on target in the first half. They were denied a fourth when Izzy Christiansen’s second-half penalty and rebound was saved by Grace Moloney.