Loughborough Lightning and Real Bedford secured their respective league titles with commanding victories, while the Northern Premier Division title race between Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers will go down to the final day. Meanwhile, Ipswich Town are a point away from claiming the Southern Premier Division title after an impressive 11-0 victory over Milton Keynes Dons.

Loughborough Lightning and Real Bedford were both crowned champions of Division One Midlands and Division One South East, respectively, after impressive wins that secured them the title with a game to spare.

Loughborough Lightning triumphed 5-0 over Sutton Coldfield Town, ensuring an unassailable six-point lead at the top of the Division One Midlands table, with just one match remaining. This victory not only sealed their title but also improved on last season’s second-place finish.

Meanwhile, Real Bedford celebrated promotion to Tier 3 of the women's football pyramid after demolishing London Seaward 11-1, securing back-to-back promotions for the club.

Loughborough Lightning Dominate in 5-0 Victory

Loughborough Lightning were dominant in their 5-0 win over Sutton Coldfield Town. Hannah Langford opened the scoring after just 12 minutes, and Jess Collyer added a second seven minutes later with a driving run. Lauren Purchase made it 3-0, and Zynia Delglyn netted a fourth just before halftime, following two crucial goal-line clearances from Sutton Coldfield.

The visitors wrapped up the scoring in the second half with a stunning 25-yard strike from Zofia Szczech, marking her first goal for the club and completing a memorable day for the team in purple.

In other Division One Midlands fixtures, Worcester City and Barnsley Women played out a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Notts County and Northampton Town secured 3-0 and 7-1 wins, respectively. Boldmere St Michaels were the only team to win at home, defeating Lincoln United 4-0.

Real Bedford’s Sensational 11-1 Win Seals Promotion

Real Bedford only required a point to secure promotion, but they delivered a spectacular performance, thrashing London Seaward 11-1 in front of a record crowd.

The first half saw the home side score six times, with goals from Amber Gaylor, Abbie Bensted, Nicola Puddick, Leyla O’Brien, and a brace from Sofia Stovold. Summer Roberts scored a long-range goal for Seaward, but Bedford continued to dominate in the second half. Bensted converted a penalty, and Gaylor added another, before Stovold and Bensted both completed their hat-tricks. Amy McLean rounded off the scoring late on.

Elsewhere in the division, Chatham Town also hit double figures with a 10-0 victory over Chesham United, and Norwich City secured a 2-0 win against Actonians.

Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Title Fight to Go Down to the Wire

The Northern Premier Division title race will go down to the final day after both Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers won big away matches, keeping them level on 52 points. Forest have a game in hand, which they will play against Stourbridge next weekend. Should they win, they will be in pole position to secure promotion thanks to their superior goal difference.

Forest claimed an emphatic 7-0 win over Liverpool Feds, with Melissa Johnson scoring four goals. Wolves ensured they would be pushing Forest all the way with a dominant 6-1 victory over Halifax, with Charlotte Greengrass netting a first-half hat-trick.

Other notable results saw Rugby Borough leapfrog Burnley into fourth place with a 3-1 victory, and Hull City climbed up with a 2-1 win over Derby County. Stoke City also triumphed 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion, while Sporting Khalsa defeated Stourbridge 5-0.

In Division One North, Middlesbrough moved top after a 7-0 win over Doncaster Rovers Belles, confirming their opponents' relegation, while AFC Fylde’s 2-2 draw with Durham Cestria was not enough to avoid the drop.

Ipswich One Point Away from Southern Premier Division Title

Ipswich Town are now just one point away from clinching the Southern Premier Division title after a dominant 11-0 win over Milton Keynes Dons. Sophie Peskett was the standout performer, scoring six goals in a spectacular hat-trick during each half, giving Ipswich a three-point lead over Hashtag United with one game remaining and a superior goal difference.

Elsewhere in the division, Billericay Town suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Oxford United, leaving them in danger of relegation, while Plymouth Argyle drew 2-2 with AFC Wimbledon. Watford defeated Gwalia United 4-0, and Hashtag United kept the pressure on Ipswich with a 2-0 win over Exeter City.

Other League News

In Division One South West, Abingdon United confirmed their place in the FA WNL for next season with a 3-0 win over Moneyfields, while Portishead Town were relegated after a 6-1 defeat to Moneyfields. Bristol Rovers secured a top-four finish with a 2-1 victory over Worthing.

Other results saw Maidenhead United beat Keynsham Town 2-1, and Bridgwater United won 2-0 at Bournemouth Sports.