It’s been a busy week in the FAWNL – Gameweek 3 has arrived, which is significant in being the final gameweek before the WSL and WSL2 get underway, and is also the first gameweek with only 11 games, with Portsmouth v AFC Wimbledon having been postponed due to a major music festival in the city making logistics too complicated. We also saw the return of FA WNL Cup action midweek, leading to squad rotation that will undoubtedly continue this weekend. This week, with 2 weeks of data now available to look at we focus on how early performances are comparing to last season.
However, before we get into the big numbers a word on the announcement this week that the FA has approved a restructure of the women’s game despite 52 out of 72 WNL Clubs opposing it. The plans will allow 4 PGA sides from WSL teams to compete in Tier 3, whilst not being eligible for promotion. Whilst the FA believe this will be good for the women’s game there are a number of reasons this could harm the league – including the PGA sides in question being less likely to loan out players to Tier 3 and 4 sides. It also risks devaluing the league by making it a training ground for WSL youth sides. The FA clearly have their reasons to push ahead, but when nearly 75% of the teams who will be directly impacted oppose it, you have to wonder who is benefitting from the decision.
Last weeks big numbers
Returning to matters on the pitch, last week had some big numbers, including the biggest win in Tier 3 this season, with AFC Wimbledon putting 6 past Plymouth Argyle, with the hosts having no reply. Plymouth, who underwent significant restructure during the summer, with the majority of the first team having been released, have now conceded 10 in 2 league games – only one goal away from the 11 they conceded in total last season. Manager Matt Green has acknowledged they are in a development phase with the new squad, but for a team who reached the playoffs only 3 months ago, this is a concerning sign of what happens when investment in the side is not prioritised. Meanwhile AFC Wimbledon will be delighted to have got 3 points from the fixture, having secured a 1-1 draw in the same fixture last season, whilst losing the reverse 0-2.
Peterborough United secured their first ever Tier 3 win, beating Liverpool Feds, who played 65 minutes with only 10 players on the pitch following a red card for Holly McEvoy. This extended Peterborough’s run of home league wins to 17, stretching back to the 24/25 season.
Another impressive streak was extended by Fulham who beat Real Bedford 1-4, to make it 49 league games unbeaten – they’ll be hoping that they can make that 50 as they host struggling Plymouth Argyle this weekend.
Elsewhere Stoke City moved top of the Northern Premier Division as they put 5 past newcomers Boldmere St Michaels, bringing to an end a run of 7 away league wins in a row, whilst Oxford United stayed top of the Southern Premier Division, having scored a total of 7 in their last 2 games, with no reply – joining Rugby Borough as the only 2 teams in Tier 3 not to have conceded yet this season. AFC Bournemouth got a late winner against Cheltenham Town to join the aforementioned Oxford United, Rugby Borough, Fulham and Stoke City as the 5 teams who have secured 2 wins from 2 games, whilst there are the same number of teams yet to register a single point. Whilst Plymouth Argyle are, on paper at least, the biggest surprise in that list having only lost 2 games in the league last season, West Bromwich Albion will have been disappointed to lose to Middlesbrough, a fixture they secured a draw in both home and away last season.
Gameweek 3
As already highlighted, Fulham play host to Plymouth Argyle in a game which could see them extend their unbeaten league run to 50 games. Also in the Southern Premier Division there will be a reunion for Hashtag United’s Kelci Bowers, as they visit AFC Bournemouth, the club she left at the end of last season. Hashtag have had score draws in both their opening fixtures – the same outcome that this fixture had when the 2 sides met in Bournemouth last season.
Oxford United will hope to keep their 4th league clean sheet in a row as they host struggling Cheltenham Town, yet to pick up a point this season.
Swindon Town surprised everyone on opening day with their 4-2 win against Plymouth Argyle, but struggled against former WSL2 side Portsmouth last weekend. This week they travel to Real Bedford and will be hoping to come away with some points, having only lost twice on their way to securing the Division One South West title last season.
In the Northern Premier Division, Rugby Borough will hope to make it 3 wins out of 3 as they host newcomers Norwich City. Having scored 6 times in the league already, they put 10 past Leicester City’s PGA team midweek in the FA WNL Cup, so we’ll be surprised if there are not goals in this game!
Meanwhile, Tier 3’s joint highest goalscorers Stoke City, who have already bagged 7 goals in 2 games face the leakiest defence in the Northern Premier Division as they visit Loughborough Lightning, who will be hoping to tighten up their defence – with their average goals conceded per game currently being double last seasons 1.95 goals per game.
The other highest scorers, Liverpool Feds, head to Hull City, a team who have failed to keep a clean sheet on their last 16 league outings.
Boldmere St Michaels play host to fellow newly promoted side Huddersfield Town, a team who haven’t lost away in the league since August 2025, and who scored 5 past Loughborough Lightning last weekend, whilst Boldmere conceded the same number away to Stoke. As the 2 teams with the lowest points totals amongst the promoted sides last season, it will be interesting to see how the teams compare.
Finally, one game that has the potential to be a little less exciting is Derby County’s trip to Middlesbrough – with both teams having scored only one goal in the first 2 gameweeks. Middlesbrough will however take some comfort in their defensive stability, having also only conceded one, whilst Derby County have conceded an average of 3 per game.
As always, with so many games to pick from you may think we’ve missed a key number, and if so we would love to hear from you. If you think there’s a game we should have talked about this week, or a game you’ve got your eye on as the WSL returns next weekend, drop us a mention via @WOSODataUK on X or Instagram!
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