The North London Derby is always one of the most anticipated occasions in the WSL calendar, but with Tottenham sitting 5 places above Arsenal in the table, this year it seemed to be more monumental than ever. With ongoing discussion about Renée Sleger’s position as Arsenal manager, and Tottenham having conceded 12 goals in their last two matches, the game felt impossible to call.

Arsenal’s sold out away allocation brought their full support, scarves waving and a performance of ‘North London Forever’ echoing around the stadium clashing with the chants of Tottenham fans. The gravity of the occasion was felt on the pitch also, as Arsenal seemed to ramp up their attacking potency in correlation with the passion of the rivalry, and Spurs finding a composed determination on both sides of the pitch. 

The last time East met South London, West Ham claimed a somewhat surprising 2-1 victory over London City, and are thus far the only team to have taken points off the Lionesses in the WSL this season. The Hammers therefore came to the Chigwell Construction Stadium with the same hunger to win on Wednesday evening, hoping to continue their unbeaten streak in the Subway Player’s Cup and pull off another upset.

The two sides came into the match up separated by just one point and one place in the Cup table, with London City in 5th and West Ham in 6th. The visitors however were careful not to repeat their mistakes, and a daring sense of attack overruled a respectable effort by the Hammers to earn London City the three points and their third successive win in the Cup.

Fierce, Gritty, Kind. These are just a few of the words CEO Max Turner used to describe Rugby Borough Women, a project grown from dedicated investment in women and girls football, championing player pathways and developing a determined culture. Third in last season's Northern Premier Division, Rugby are sitting at the top and three points in front after game week seven. They are looking even more determined for success, ready to fulfill their exciting promotion ambitions.

Women’s football is often about more than just 90 minutes on the pitch. It’s about the development of values, nurturing a fanbase, prioritizing player welfare and creating an environment with longevity and sustainability, something in the women's lower tiers we have seen all too recently has become more of an expectation than the rule.