We take a look at the numbers that make up the weekend’s FA Women’s National League action.
With another round of the fixtures in the history books, we pick out some of the numbers that caught our eye in the FA Women’s National League on Sunday.
2 – The fastest goal of the weekend
It took just two minutes for Natasha Wild to score the fastest goal of the weekend, and her first of two goals for Chichester & Selsey in Sunday’s 3-1 against Keynsham Town at the weekend.
Chi have now won two games in a row.
184 – The largest crowd of the weekend
Bridgwater United recorded the biggest crowd in the FA Women’s National League as 184 fans were in attendance to witness Southampton beat the Robins 0-2 at Fairfax Park.
Sunday’s crowd is the United’s highest in 2022 and their fourth highest of the season.
3 – New league leaders in three divisions
The FA WNL saw new leaders in the Northern Premier Division, Division One North, and Division One Midlands this weekend as Fylde beat a formidable Forest side 2-1, Feds edged out Chorley 0-1 and Boldmere St Michaels put an end to Posh’s winning streak under new manager Dan Lawlor thanks to a 3-1 win at home to move all three to their respective divisions.
29 – Victory on the road
29% of matches (6 of 21) ended with the away team taking all 3 points as Stoke, Southampton, Oxford United, Liverpool Feds, FC United of Manchester, and London Seaward claimed victory on their travels.
This is down from last weekend where 42% (8 of 19) matches ended with the traveling team going home with the spoils.
126 – Tractor Girls on top
Ipswich Town have reigned over the rest of the Southern Premier Division for 126 days – the longest amount of time any team has held on to the top spot across all six FA WNL divisions this season after Joe Sheehan’s side beat MK Dons 3-0 to move to the top of the table back in October.
50 – Tags 50 goals to the good
Hashtag United scored five or more goals in league competition for the fifth time this season on Sunday after an Abrehart brace, as well as goals from Nutman, Gillard, and a returning Kelly Wealthall saw the tags dispatch of Cambridge United 5-0.
The Tags now boast a +50 goal difference – eighteen better off than promotion rivals Billericay Town.
100 – A perfect start to 2022
Six teams hold a 100% record league competition in 2022: AFC Bournemouth, Cheltenham Town, Liverpool Feds, Oxford United, Newcastle United, and Southampton FC.
Liverpool Feds, Oxford United, and Southampton recorded wins at the weekend to extend their current runs, while postponements for Cheltenham Town, AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United meant that their perfect records would be safe for at least another week.
10 – Lightning take 2022 by storm
Loughborough Lightning side have now banked 10 points from their opening five games of 2022 with a record of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. With their solitary loss coming against the current league leaders, Fylde.
It marks a remarkable upturn in form after Lightning recorded four points from their opening two games of the season before going on a miserable eight-game losing streak.
Issy Martin’s side are now four points clear of the relegation zone after being five points adrift at the turn of the year.
63 – The game that almost was
Sunday ended in frustrating fashion for Ipswich Town after their clash with Crawley Wasps was abandoned in the 63rd minute due to adverse weather conditions.
The Tractor Girls were two goals to the good at the time the decision was made courtesy of second-half goals from Natasha Thomas and Zoe Barratt.
The rare abandonment means frustration for Town and a second chance for Wasps when the two sides replay the fixture.
31 – Pusey and Lumsden find the net again
As the Southern Premier Division title race heats up, so too does the race for the Golden Boot.
After both scoring at the weekend, Southampton’s Ella Pusey and Oxford United’s Beth Lumsden have now scored a combined total of 31 league goals this campaign, with Pusey finding the net 16 times and Lumsden 15.
Pusey began the campaign in scintillating style but Lumsden has slowly crept into the argument over the course of the season and is now firmly among the favourites for the coveted Southern Premier Golden Boot.