By Tony Leighton

With Arsenal and Leeds playing in the FA Premier Womens' League Cup final, it was a day for their rivals to make up lost ground in the Premier League.

Second-placed Everton won 3-0 at Cardiff City to cut Arsenal's lead to five points.

Charlton went above Leeds into third place after a resounding 8-0 home win over Sunderland.

And Chelsea's sixth win in eight games, 3-1 at home to Doncaster, saw them move up to sixth place in the table.

Charlton 8-0 Sunderland

After England striker Eni Aluko had started the Charlton goal deluge Jo Potter, Natasha Dowie, Ashlee Hincks (2) and Dani Murphy (2) all put their names on the scoresheet.

And to cap a fine day for the Addicks, new Icelandic signing Harpa Thorsteinsdottir scored with her first touch after entering the fray as a second half substitute.

Cardiff 0-3 Everton

In-form striker Jody Handley took her recent goal tally to eight in seven games with a double strike to shoot down the relegation haunted Bluebirds.

Handley's brace came either side of a Fara Williams goal.

Defeat kept Cardiff pinned in the drop zone.

Chelsea 3-1 Doncaster Rovers Belles

Chelsea's sixth win in eight games moved them up to sixth place.

They swept into an early two-goal lead through Ellen White and Jodian Clarke but Pauline Hamill reduced the arrears on the half-hour.