Summary

  • Champions Chelsea make a winning start to the new WSL1 season

  • Doncaster Rovers Belles lose to Chelsea for the second time this season after FA Women's Cup defeat

  • England winger Karen Carney, Beth England, skipper Katie Chapman and Eni Aluko net for Chelsea

  • Claire Rafferty puts through her own net for the Doncaster Rovers Belles goal

  1. Doncaster 0-0 Chelseapublished at 1 min

    Chelsea get us under way.

    Keepmoat Stadium before kick-offImage source, The FA
  2. Postpublished at 19:43 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    The teams are out at the Keepmoat Stadium and kick off is approaching.

  3. Getting used to rotationpublished at 19:43 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    Chelsea Ladies boss Emma Hayes has so much attacking talent at her disposal that her star names will have to get used to missing the odd match.

    Gemma Davison, who started 25 out of Chelsea's 28 games in 2015, is the most notable name to miss out on a start tonight.

    She told BBC Sport that she is well aware of the need to accept a bit of rotation with the team looking to challenge on all fronts.

    Fellow England winger Karen Carney, a scorer against Doncaster on Sunday, makes her WSL debut for her new side. 

  4. Team newspublished at 19:41 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

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    Emma Hayes makes two changes to the Chelsea side that beat Doncaster in the FA Cup on Sunday.

    Claire Rafferty and Beth England come in for Drew Spence and Gemma Davison.

    Subs: Kitching, L Rafferty, Legg, Bailey, Spence, Davison, Kirby.

  5. Team newspublished at 19:40 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

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    Jess Sigsworth, Natasha Dowie and Becky Easton make their league debuts for the Belles while new signing Anna Moorhouse is on the bench.

    Subs: Moorhouse, Gummer, Mosby, Newborough, Whittle, Hallas-Potts, Breen.

  6. New faces for the new campaignpublished at 19:38 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    Doncaster have been busy in the transfer market, making six signings including three from Liverpool Ladies.

    Natasha Dowie, Becky Easton and Katrin Omarsdottir all joined from the Reds as well as Jess Sigsworth from Notts County Ladies and Anna Moorhouse from Durham, while Carla Humphrey joins from Arsenal on loan.

    Beth England will be making a return to Yorkshire tonight following her move to Chelsea in the close season.

    The forward scored 14 goals last season as Rovers were promoted back to the top flight and is reunited with Chelsea assistant manager Paul Green, who signed her during his time with the Belles.

    Chelsea have also signed Karen Carney and Becky Spencer from Birmingham City and Jade Bailey from Arsenal.

  7. Both sides' successful 2015published at 19:35 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    Tonight's opponents may have been in different leagues last season but both had cause for celebration come the season's end.

    Doncaster made their return to WSL1 with promotion from WSL2 while Chelsea recorded a stunning domestic cup and league double - the perfect response after missing out on the WSL1 title on the final day of the 2014 season.

    With Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City all winning last night, Chelsea will be hoping to seal three points tonight to keep pace with their rivals.

  8. Familiar opponentspublished at 19:33 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    Emma HayesImage source, The FA

    As we mentioned, this is the second time these teams have faced each other in less than a week.

    Karen Carney, who signed for Chelsea from Birmingham City Ladies, scored on her debut as they defeated Doncaster 4-1 in the Women's FA Cup.

    Chelsea, current FA Cup holders thanks to a 1-0 win against Notts County Ladies last summer, came from behind after Jess Sigsworth gave Rovers the lead.

    However, Leandra Little put the ball in her own net and Carney, Ji So-Yun and Eniola Aluko all scored to send Emma Hayes' side through to the quarter finals.

  9. Elsewhere in WSL1published at 19:30 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    Arsenal, Liverpool Ladies and Manchester City Women all set the pace in their WSL1 openers last night.

    England captain Steph Houghton scored a 90th-minute winner to give Man City victory against Notts County Ladies while goals from Dominique Janssen, Asisat Oshoala and Danielle Carter sent Arsenal top with a 3-1 win against Reading.

    In the other WSL1 fixture, Liverpool were reduced to 10 players in their 1-0 win against Birmingham City in a match where the visitors missed two penalties.

    Reds goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain saved Kirsty Linnett's fourth-minute penalty prior to Shanice van de Sanden's goal while Liverpool had Mandy van den Berg sent off for bringing down Melissa Lawley, but Freda Ayisi missed from the spot.

  10. Welcomepublished at 19:26 GMT 24 March 2016

    Doncaster v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)

    Eniola AlukoImage source, The FA

    Hello and welcome to our coverage of tonight's Women's Super League 1 match between newly-promoted Doncaster Rovers Belles and reigning WSL champions Chelsea Ladies.

    Doncaster make their return to WSL1 for the first time since 2013 thanks to their second-placed finish in WSL2 last season while Chelsea enter the current campaign full of steam after winning the domestic double in 2015.

    Tonight is the second meeting between the sides in four days with Chelsea running out 4-1 winners in the Women's FA Cup on Sunday.

    Will Chelsea mark the perfect start to their campaign as they look to retain their league title, or will Doncaster bounce back after Sunday's FA Cup defeat and hit the ground running on their top-flight return?