Aluko goal keeps Chelsea in touch

By Tony Leighton

England striker Eniola Aluko was on target as Chelsea won 1-0 at Birmingham City to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to just two points.

Leeds Carnegie jumped two places to sixth with a 4-1 win against Liverpool, while Watford beat Blackburn Rovers by the same score to move up to seventh.

In re-arranged Premier League Cup matches Doncaster Belles, Fulham and Leicester all made the quarter-finals.

Leicester will now host Arsenal while Fulham have earned a tie at Chelsea.

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Women's Premier League

Birmingham City 0-1 Chelsea

Former Birmingham player Aluko scored against her old club four minutes before half-time to settle a scrappy encounter.

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Leeds 4-1 Liverpool

Jess Clarke bagged a brace and there was a goal apiece for Carla Cantrell and Steph Houghton in Leeds' biggest win of the season.

Kelly Jones netted for Liverpool, who are pinned in the relegation zone with just two points from nine games.

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Watford 4-1 Blackburn

Helen Lander hit a hat-trick to take her season's goal tally into double figures and help Watford collect their first league win in four outings.

Lander put the home side three goals ahead before Katie Anderton reduced the arrears, only for Ashlee Hincks to wrap up victory for the Hornets.

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Women's Premier League Cup, Round Two

Fulham 2-2 Bristol Academy (AET, Fulham won 4-2 on penalties)

Fulham will take on Chelsea in a quarter-final local derby after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory.

In normal time the Cottagers twice took the lead, first through Lauren Phillips then Brett Burns, but Kerry Manley and Corinne Yorston both hit equalisers.

Extra-time brought no further goals, but in the shoot-out Bristol missed the target with two of their spot-kicks to go out of the competition.

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Nottingham Forest 0-4 Doncaster Rovers Belles

Captain Vicky Exley struck twice as the Belles set themselves up with a quarter-final tie at home to Watford.

The former England midfielder gave the visitors a first-half lead then hit the goal that broke the Forest resolve shortly after the break.

The home side had started the second half well, but they capitulated after Exley's second strike and further goals followed from Rachel Williams and Liz Hansen.

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Millwall Lionesses 1-3 Leicester City

Two-goal Louise Fellows spearheaded a victory that took Northern Division new girls Leicester into the League Cup quarter-finals for the first time in the club's history.

Carly Eagles equalised Fellows' first goal, but second-half strikes by Remi Allen and Fellows once more earned the Foxes a glamour tie with Arsenal in the last eight.

Revised quarter-final draw

Portsmouth v Preston North End

Leicester City v Arsenal

Chelsea v Fulham

Doncaster Rovers Belles v Watford

Ties to be played Sunday 2 November.