FA WSL 2 Spring Series

FA WSL 2
Season	2017 Spring Series
Matches played	45
Goals scored	138 (3.07 per match)
Top goalscorer	Courtney Sweetman-Kirk (9 goals)
Biggest home win	Everton 5–0 Brighton & Hove Albion; (30 April 2017)
Biggest away win	London Bees 0–4 Everton; (20 May 2017); Oxford United 0–4 Doncaster Rovers Belles; (21 May 2017)
Highest scoring	Aston Villa 5–4 Durham; (21 May 2017)
	← 2016 2017–18 →

The FA WSL 2 Spring Series was an interim edition of the FA WSL 2 between the fourth and fifth full seasons. The Spring Series ran from February to May 2017 to bridge the gap from the 2016 season which ran from March to September as a summer tournament, and the 2017–18 season which started in September 2017.^[1]^[2]

Teams played each other once, with no promotion or relegation before the full 2017–18 season.^[3]

Teams

Aston Villa

London Bees

Brighton & Hove Albion

Doncaster Rovers Belles

Locations of the Spring Series WSL 2 teams

Team	Location	Ground	Capacity	2016 season
Aston Villa	Tamworth	The Lamb Ground	4,000	7th
Brighton & Hove Albion	Lancing	Culver Road	2,000	1st, 2015–16 WPL
Doncaster Rovers Belles	Doncaster	Keepmoat Stadium	15,231	9th, WSL 1
Durham	Durham	New Ferens Park	3,000	4th
Everton	Widnes	Select Security Stadium	13,350	3rd
London Bees	Canons Park	The Hive Stadium	5,176	6th
Millwall Lionesses	Bermondsey	St. Paul's Sports Ground	2,500	8th
Oxford United	Abingdon	Northcourt Road	2,000	9th
Sheffield	Dronfield	Coach and Horses	2,000	5th
Watford	Kings Langley	Global Metcorp Stadium	1,000	10th

Ten teams competed in this season.^[2] Brighton & Hove Albion was promoted after beating Sporting Club Albion in the 2015–16 FA Women's Premier League Championship play-off.^[4]^[5] Following the closure of Notts County Ladies in April 2017, one team was promoted at the end of the Spring Series to the WSL1 for the 2017–18 season, based on an evaluation by the FA of applicant clubs' business plans, budget, youth development, facilities and on-pitch performance.^[6]

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Everton	9	7	1	1	25	7	+18	22	Applied for promotion to the 2017–18 FA WSL. Promotion approved.^[7]
2	Doncaster Rovers Belles	9	5	3	1	19	9	+10	18	Applied for promotion to the 2017–18 FA WSL.
3	Millwall Lionesses	9	5	2	2	12	8	+4	17
4	Aston Villa	9	5	2	2	19	16	+3	17
5	Durham	9	5	1	3	14	10	+4	16
6	Brighton & Hove Albion	9	2	4	3	8	13	−5	10
7	London Bees	9	3	1	5	13	21	−8	10
8	Watford	9	2	2	5	12	17	−5	8
9	Sheffield	9	2	0	7	9	18	−9	6
10	Oxford United	9	0	2	7	7	19	−12	2

Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

Results

Home \ Away	AST	BRH	DON	DUR	EVE	LON	MIL	OXF	SHE	WAT
Aston Villa		3–1		5–4		3–2	1–1			3–2
Brighton & Hove Albion			0–0					1–1	3–1	2–1
Doncaster Rovers Belles	2–1			2–1	3–3	4–1
Durham		1–0				3–0	1–0	2–1	1–0
Everton	3–0	5–0		1–0						4–0
London Bees		1–1			0–4		1–2	3–1	2–1
Millwall Lionesses		0–0	2–1		2–1			2–0	1–2
Oxford United	0–0		0–4		1–2					1–2
Sheffield	1–3		0–2		1–2			3–2
Watford			1–1	1–1		2–3	1–2		2–0

Source: FA WSL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

^[8]

Rank	Player	Team	Goals
1	Courtney Sweetman-Kirk	Doncaster Rovers Belles	9
2	Claudia Walker	Everton	7
3	Simone Magill	Everton	5
3	Zoe Ness	Durham	5
5	Natasha Baptiste	Aston Villa	4
	Ashleigh Goddard	London Bees
	Ini-Abasi Umotong	Oxford United
	Jo Wilson	London Bees

References

^ "New calendar for FA WSL". Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Women's Super League to switch to winter season in 2017". Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
^ "Spring Series Fixtures". FA. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
^ "Women's Premier League: Brighton beat Sporting Club Albion in play-off". BBC Sport. 29 May 2016. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
^ "Brighton & Hove Albion Women promotion to Women's Super League approved". BBC Sport. 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
^ Garry, Tom. "Women's Super League: WSL 2 clubs invited to apply to replace Notts County Ladies". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
^ "Everton Ladies chosen for vacant spot in WSL 1". BBC Sport. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
^ "PLAYER STATS". Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2017.

[ss-1] "New calendar for FA WSL". Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.

[winter-2] "Women's Super League to switch to winter season in 2017". Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2016.

[SS_Fix-3] "Spring Series Fixtures". FA. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2017.

[4] "Women's Premier League: Brighton beat Sporting Club Albion in play-off". BBC Sport. 29 May 2016. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2016.

[5] "Brighton & Hove Albion Women promotion to Women's Super League approved". BBC Sport. 2 June 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2016.

[6] Garry, Tom. "Women's Super League: WSL 2 clubs invited to apply to replace Notts County Ladies". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.

[7] "Everton Ladies chosen for vacant spot in WSL 1". BBC Sport. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2017.

[PLAYER_STATS-8] "PLAYER STATS". Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2017.

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