Sunderland Ladies 0 Liverpool Ladies 4: Match report, heavy defeat for Lady Black Cats

The Lady Black Cats dominated for long periods but could not turn chances into goals and are now uncomfortably close to the relegation zone with three points from five matches.

Liverpool moved up to fourth in WSL1 with a clinical display – of their five attempts at goal they scored with four.


The Lady Black Cats had shot after shot on the away goal, but the Reds did what counted, put the ball in the net through Rosie White and Alex Chamberlain in the first half.


A Steph Bannon OG 16 minutes from time sealed the points for the Merseysiders with sub Katie Zelem's injury-time goal adding further pain to Carlton Fairweather's side.


Sunderland went close early on when Keira Ramshaw's effort was well saved to her left by Siobhan Chamberlain.


But Scott Rogers' side were in front in the eighth minute when White fired a breathtaking 20-yard strike beyond Rachael Laws.


Sunderland were denied by Chamberlain who saved Lucy Staniforth's free-kick while Brooke Chaplen, Rachel Furness and Steph Roche all had cracks at goal.


However, Liverpool doubled their lead nine minutes from the interval when home skipper Bannon tripped Tasha Harding and Greenwood beat Laws comfortably from the spot.


Greenwood then showed her ability at the other end in first-half stoppage time when she cleared a Chaplen shot off the line.

Sunderland had not given up the ghost and Furness had a shot in a crowded goal mouth saved by Chamberlain.


Furness then went wide with a left-footer after a fantastic run by Williams from defence.


The home side went agonisingly close to a goal on 61 minutes when Ramshaw sent over a delightful cross from the right only for Roche to see her header spectacularly tipped over by Chamberlain.

Sunderland were having all the play and it was ironic Liverpool's third came from a home corner.


Harding dashed down the right on the counter-attack and her cross was put into her own net by the luckless Bannon.


In stoppage time, Zelem put in number four after god work by fellow sub Shanice Van De Sanden.