By Tony Leighton

Sophie Williams hit three as Sunderland beat Leeds 3-1 to go within a point of Women's Premier League joint leaders Blackburn and Nottingham Forest.

Those two side played out a goalless draw in their top-of-the-table clash.

At the other end of the table Millwall Lionesses climbed off the bottom with a 3-1 win at Reading, the Lionesses' first league victory of the season.

Reading dropped to the bottom, level on points with Barnet, who held Watford to a goalless draw.

Leeds United 1-3 Sunderland

Williams opened the scoring when she chased a long through ball to shoot home in the seventh minute.

A well-worked passing move led to a 25th minute equaliser for Jade Pennock.

But two minutes later Williams restored Sunderland's lead when she forced the ball in after goalkeeper Kay Hawke had blocked her first shot.

The Black Cats striker wrapped up victory with her hat-trick goal, driving an angled 15 yard shot past Hawke 13 minutes from time.

Nottingham Forest 0-0 Blackburn Rovers

Forest edged the majority of a hard-fought game but could not force a way past goalkeeper Krystal Parker.

The Blackburn keeper's finest moment came midway through the second half, when she pulled off a tremendous save from substitute Katie Waddell.

Watford 0-0 Barnet

The Hornets had much the better of the first half and both Sarah Wiltshire and Katie Owen had early efforts cleared off the goal line.

But Barnet missed a great chance to take the lead, Cheryl Williams firing a 34th minute penalty over the crossbar.

The visitors had more of the game after the break and Stacey Sowden was twice denied by goalkeeper Chloe Crook.

But Watford almost snatched it in the closing stages, Charlotte Young heading a good chance over the top from Wiltshire's corner.

Reading 1-3 Millwall

Goals either side of half-time by Ann-Marie Heatherson and Lindsey Morgan put Millwall on the road to victory.

Kate Longhurst hit the victory clincher midway through the second half, though Natasha Caswell grabbed a late consolation goal for the home side.

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