>Nationwide FA Women's Premier League, National Division:

Charlton raced out of the starting blocks to net two goals in the
first three minutes against bottom of the table Tranmere on Sunday.
But with Arsenal not playing and Fulham entertaining Doncaster
Belles, the Addicks failed to capitalise on their early momentum and
score the goals that would have established a healthier goal
difference at the top of the women's Premier League.
After just two minutes Danielle Murphy raced down the right wing and
sent over a cross which Jessica Smith controlled for Carmaine Walker
to slot home for her third league goal in five games.
Less than a minute later, defender Karen Hills picked out Jo
Broadhurst on the opposite wing, and the veteran midfielder sent over
a cross that was swept past helpless Rover keeper Jo Fletcher by
Amanda Barr.
With a taste for goals after her brace against Brighton the previous
week, full-back Eartha Pond then saw a powerful drive blocked by a
defender before firing the rebound goalwards only to see Fletcher
make a good save.
And at the other end a lack of concentration by Addicks goalkeeper
Pauline Cope saw her concede possession, but she made amends with a
low save from Rachel Rigby.
Murphy sent over another good cross that was flicked on by Barr into
the path of Walker, whose header was saved by Fletcher.
And Charlton skipper Casey Stoney, also in fine goalscoring form
this season, went on a couple of penetrating runs; unleashing 30-yard
strikes which narrowly dipped over the bar on both occasions.
To their credit the young Tranmere side never let their heads drop
after conceding the two early goals and they almost pulled a goal
back when slack defending let in Heather Scheuber, whose near-post
effort flew narrowly wide.
And although dominating the match, Charlton were further troubled by
defensive errors just before half time, as a mis-directed header from
Addicks centre-back Emma Coss saw the ball fall to Holly Newman, but
her powerful strike was well saved by Cope.
Rovers continued to struggle to cope with Pond's powerful runs down
the left flank, and Charlton's third and final goal stemmed from that
area.
First, Pond created a chance for Murphy, only for the midfielder's
strike to bobble wide of the target. But in the 44th minute, the full-
back sent over another cross which the Premiership's leading
goalscorer Barr volleyed into the roof of the net to make in 3-0.
It was Barr's 11th goal in six games, and the only time she has
failed to find the net for the Addicks this season was during last
weekend's win against the Seagulls, when she was forced to leave the
field after 15 minutes due to stomach pains.
Although Charlton continued to run the contest after the break, the
Addicks failed to increase the score and the game fizzled out...

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For the second half of this Womens match report by Matt Wright at
CAFC.co.uk, go to:
>http://www.cafc.co.uk/womens/fixtures.jsp
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