Liverpool promoted to WSL after clinching Championship title
- Published
Liverpool's victory sees them return to the WSL after two-year absence
Liverpool have secured promotion to the Women's Super League after winning the Championship title with victory over second-placed Bristol City.
They clinched top spot with two games to spare in front of a Championship record crowd of 5,752 at Ashton Gate.
Matt Beard's side return to the top flight after being relegated in 2020.
The Reds needed only a draw to claim the title, but ran out 4-2 winners - stretching their unbeaten league run to 19 games - to go 14 points clear.
Liverpool captain Niamh Fahey put the visitors ahead before Aggie Beever-Jones levelled a minute later.
But goals either side of half-time from Jasmine Matthews and Katie Stengel saw the Reds move into a 3-1 lead.
Abi Harrison pulled one back with 20 minutes to go, before Missy Bo Kearns sealed the success - and the title - with a fourth goal 11 minutes from time.
Liverpool's only league defeat came on the opening day of the campaign to London City Lionesses.
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Liverpool return 'huge'
Beard, who led Liverpool to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014, returned to the club last May after six years away.
"It's not easy to go 19 games unbeaten in the league and I'm incredibly proud of the players and the staff with what we've achieved," Beard told the club's website.
"I say this every week, but we work incredibly hard at the training ground, on the training pitch and you don't go 19 games unbeaten in any level of football without putting the hard work in that we have done - and we've got the rewards for that.
One of his former players, Claire Rafferty, who played for him at West Ham, told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra that he deserved his success.
"I'm very happy for him. He's a great tactician, and an overall great guy," she said.
"It's great to see a club with such stature back in the league. Hopefully, they can match the investment of other big clubs and really try and compete."
Former England player Karen Carney told Sky Sports: "Liverpool are a massive football club, so to have Liverpool in the WSL - it's huge, that's what we want.
"I'm really excited for them, I think they've been brilliant this season."
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