A Mia Ross header and an own goal helped Charlton Athletic Women to a comfortable 2-0 win over London City Lionesses at The Oakwood on Sunday.
The Addicks made it back-to-back wins at home, with Ross giving them an early lead before a mistake in defence saw former Charlton defender Harley Bennett nod past her own keeper after the interval.
Charlton made a strong start, pressing the London City defence from kick off. An early Lois Heuchan cross just evaded the reach of Ella Rutherford early on.
With 10 minutes on the clock, Rutherford picked up the ball from an Elise Hughes lay off and fired a powerful shot towards the top corner only to see Shae Yanez tip over brilliantly.
From Lois Roche’s resulting corner, Ross rose highest to head home from close range.
The visitors came into the clash once they were a goal down, with Karine Muya posing some difficult questions down the right wing, but the Addicks were equal to everything thrown at them.
Chances were few in the first half, with Beth Roe shooting over from range and Roche seeing an effort blocked.
Charlton came out after the break firing once more, with Heuchan shooting wide from long range.
But again it didn’t take long for the home side to double their advantage when Keira Skeels pumped a long ball forward for Follis to chase. Bennett tried to head back to Yanez, who was out of position and the ball trickled in.
Jess King then had the ball in the back of the net on the hour mark, slotting home a Rutherford cross but the assistant referee had their flag up for offside.
Substitute Megan Wynne almost made an immediate impact, running down the right wing and firing a centre straight across the goalmouth, but no one was there to get on the end of it.
London City started to claw themselves back into the contest, but Heuchan and Anna Filbey made two good blocks. Mollie Rouse then shot well over from long range.
Despite a bit more pressure, it took the Lionesses 81 minutes to force Eartha Cumings into a save down low from a curled Muya shot.
They came closer towards the end of the game when a header went over, Amy Rodgers sent a snapshot wide and Jamie-Lee Napier curled wide of the target.
But it was down to Charlton to have the final chance of the game, when the ball came into Hughes with her back to goal three yards out. The striker turned well but saw her effort blocked by her marker.
Charlton: Cumings, Filbey, Follis (Olding 78), King (Wynne 65), Hughes, Skeels, Roche, Rutherford, Roe, Heuchan, Ross. Subs (not used): Grimmond, Newborough, Sulola.
Subs (not used): Grimmond, Newborough, Sulola
Goals: Ross 10, Bennett (OG) 52
Yellow cards: Emma Follis 73
London City Lionesses: Yanez, Fleming (Rouse 60), Girasoli, Rodgers, Napier, Bennett, Muya, Fitzgerald (Nunn 60), Fronc (Thompson 60), Primus, Rossiter (Jarrett 60)
Subs (not used): Neville, Mehmet, Short, Pedersen, Pursey
Attendance: 232