# 2012 FA WSL

The 2012 FA WSL is the second season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 8 April 2012 and was scheduled to end in October 2012. The league is to break between 8 July and 19 August to allow preparation for the 2012 London Olympics.
Arsenal won the competition, their ninth consecutive English title. Entry to the 2013–14 UEFA Women's Champions League was earned by Arsenal, as champions, and Birmingham City, as runners–up.

## Teams

| Team | Location | Ground | 2011 season |
| Arsenal | Borehamwood | Meadow Park | FA WSL, 1st |
| Birmingham City | Stratford-upon-Avon | The DCS Stadium | FA WSL, 2nd |
| Bristol Academy | Filton | Stoke Gifford Stadium | FA WSL, 5th |
| Chelsea | Staines | Wheatsheaf Park | FA WSL, 6th |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | Doncaster | Keepmoat Stadium | FA WSL, 7th |
| Everton | Crosby | The Arriva Park | FA WSL, 3rd |
| Lincoln Ladies | Lincoln | Ashby Avenue | FA WSL, 4th |
| Liverpool | Skelmersdale | Skelmersdale & Ormskirk College Stadium | FA WSL, 8th |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Arsenal (C) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 39 | 18 | +21 | 34 | Qualification to Champions League |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 18 | +13 | 26 | Qualification to Champions League |
| 3 | Everton | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 16 | +4 | 25 | |
| 4 | Bristol Academy | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 18 | |
| 5 | Lincoln Ladies | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 18 | |
| 6 | Chelsea | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 23 | −3 | 17 | |
| 7 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 28 | −14 | 11 | |
| 8 | Liverpool | 14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 15 | 35 | −20 | 5 | |

## Results

| Home \ Away | ARS | BIR | BRI | CHE | DON | EVE | LIV | LIN |
| Arsenal | | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–1 |
| Birmingham City | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 |
| Bristol Academy | 0–3 | 2–2 | | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Chelsea | 2–4 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 |
| Doncaster Rovers Belles | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 |
| Everton | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Liverpool | 0–2 | 2–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | | 2–3 |
| Lincoln Ladies | 3–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | |

## Top scorers

Players with at least five goals.
| Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Kim Little | Arsenal | 11 |
| 2 | Jodie Taylor | Birmingham | 8 |
| 3 | Precious Hamilton | Lincoln | 7 |
| 3 | Helen Lander | Chelsea | 7 |
| 5 | Rachel Williams | Birmingham | 6 |
| 6 | Remi Allen | Lincoln | 5 |
| 6 | Katie Chapman | Arsenal | 5 |
| 6 | Toni Duggan | Everton | 5 |
| 6 | Jordan Nobbs | Arsenal | 5 |
| 6 | Fara Williams | Everton | 5 |

## League Cup

To allow for more games the League Cup format was changed from a straight knock-out to a group stage format with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. Arsenal defended their title with a 1–0 win over Birmingham City in a rematch of last year's final. They thus won a double this season of League and League Cup, missing out on the Women's FA Cup.

### Group 1

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BRI | BIR | EVE | DON |
| 1 | Bristol Academy | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 7 | Advance to Knockout stage | — | 1–1 | — | — |
| 2 | Birmingham City | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 7 | Advance to Knockout stage | — | — | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| 3 | Everton | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 3 | | 0–4 | — | — | 1–0 |
| 4 | Doncaster Rovers Belles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 0 | | 0–1 | — | — | — |

### Group 2

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | LIN | ARS | CHE | LIV |
| 1 | Lincoln Ladies | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 9 | Advance to Knockout stage | — | 4–3 | — | 3–2 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 6 | Advance to Knockout stage | — | — | 3–0 | — |
| 3 | Chelsea | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | | 1–2 | — | — | 2–1 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 0 | | — | 0–3 | — | — |

### Knockout stage

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| 3 September – Filton | 3 September – Filton |
| Bristol Academy | 0 |
| Bristol Academy | 0 | 10 October – Barnet | 10 October – Barnet |
| Arsenal | 4 | 10 October – Barnet | 10 October – Barnet |
| Arsenal | 4 | Arsenal | 1 |
| 2 September – Lincoln | 2 September – Lincoln | | Arsenal | 1 |
| 2 September – Lincoln | 2 September – Lincoln | Birmingham City | 0 |
| Lincoln Ladies | 1 | Birmingham City | 0 |
| Birmingham City | 2 | | |