Crosthwaite’s late strike sends Blues top

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HUL

(A)

02 D

21 H

05 M

53 S

Crosthwaite’s late strike sends Blues top

Match Report: Birmingham City Women 1 - 0 Sunderland Women

2026-04-01T21:30+00:00

Crosthwaite’s late strike sends Blues top

Blues left it late at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, as Lily Crosthwaite’s stoppage-time winner secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland and sent Amy Merricks’ side to the top of the WSL2.

In a tightly contested encounter, Blues controlled large periods but had to show patience before Crosthwaite’s moment of quality settled the game in dramatic fashion.

It was a cagey opening quarter at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, with both sides sharing possession evenly in the early stages. Blues looked comfortable on the ball but were unable to convert that control into clear chances.

The first real opportunity arrived on 22 minutes. A through ball from Océane Hurtré released Rebecca Holloway down the left. She drove forward and delivered a cross, but a Sunderland defender reacted first to clear the danger.

Five minutes later, Wilma Leidhammar came close from distance, her free-kick from 35 yards grazing the crossbar and finding the top netting as Blues continued to search for the opener.

On the half-hour mark, Chelsea Cornet’s low delivery picked out Batcheba Louis in the box, but a heavy first touch allowed Demi Lambourne to smother the chance.

Blues continued to apply pressure and, on 35 minutes, Lotta Lindström broke down the left with space to exploit. Her cross found Holloway at the back post, but the defender fired over the bar.

Sunderland registered their first opportunity on 39 minutes. Brianna Westrup’s long free-kick into the box was well controlled, before Eleanor Dale shifted onto her left and struck from a tight angle. The effort was low and powerful, but Lucy Thomas reacted well to gather.

Hurtré threatened again on 43 minutes, winning possession high up the pitch before driving forward and shooting from just inside the box, her effort dipping just over the crossbar.

Blues finished the half strongly. Lindström saw an effort cleared off the line by Caragh Hamilton before testing the Sunderland defence again moments later, her follow-up strike well blocked. A final attack ended with a collision involving Westrup before the half-time whistle brought the sides in level.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams contesting possession in the middle third. Sunderland created the first opening after the break, Natasha Fenton’s looping cross finding Dale, but Rebecca McKenna produced a strong block.

Blues responded on 53 minutes. Leidhammar drove forward and threaded a pass through to Louis, whose strike was well saved by Lambourne, tipping the ball over the bar.

Sunderland threatened again five minutes later, Katy Watson striking from range, but her effort drifted wide of the far post.

As the half wore on, Blues continued to dominate territory, pinning Sunderland back but struggling to find a breakthrough.

In added time, the visitors came closest to snatching it. Fenton’s free-kick into the box found Westrup, whose header dropped to Emily Scarr, but from close range she fired over.

With 93 minutes on the clock, Lily Crosthwaite stepped up with a season-shaping goal to put Blues in front and send her side to the top of the WSL2. Shannon Cooke’s long ball found Crosthwaite just outside the box and, with work to do, the substitute controlled, beat two defenders and lifted her effort from distance over Lambourne and into the net. St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park was bouncing as supporters witnessed the goal of the season.

Merricks’ side saw out the closing stages with determination to secure a 1-0 victory, a result that sends them to the top of the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 with two games remaining.

Next up, Blues host Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

Tickets are on sale HERE.

Blues: Lucy Thomas, Rebecca Holloway, Neve Herron, Martha Harris (Shannon Cooke, 66), Rebecca McKenna, Chelsea Cornet (captain), Asato Miyagawa (Shanade Hopcroft, 66), Wilma Leidhammar (Lee Geum-Min, 76), Batcheba Louis, Océane Hurtré (Lily Crosthwaite, 55), Lotta Lindström

Substitutes not used: Poppy Irvine, Michaela Kovacs, Hannah Silcock, Lucy Quinn, Libby Bance

Sunderland: Demi Lambourne, Katy Watson (Katie Kitching, 66), Emily Scarr, Eleanor Dale, Jessica Brown, Natasha Fenton, Jamie Finn (Hannah Greenwood, 66), Libbi McInnes (Niyah Dunbar, 80), Caragh Hamilton, Brianna Westrup (captain), Chloe Paxton

Substitutes not used: Grace Moloney, Ellen Jones, Eva Bewicke, Reanna Blades, Jenny Blench