Shoot Awards: WSL 1 (July)

Following England’s success at the World Cup the WSL returned with a bang in July.

Record crowds turned up to see the Lionesses make their first appearances since winning bronze and there we plenty of goals and surprise results.

Here we select out Player, Manager and and Goal of the Month.

Player of the Month: Beth Mead (Sunderland)

It was fairly obvious who was going to get my Player of the Month and that is of course Beth Mead of Sunderland. The 19-year-old from Whitby scored six times in three games, including a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Chelsea. Mead was on fire in July scoring goal after goal; her treble over the Blues coming only two days after being involved in a car accident. After netting 10 times in nine outings in her first season in the top division, she would’ve impressed England senior boss Mark Sampson.

Manager of the Month: Carlton Fairweather (Sunderland)

The Black Cats’ boss led his side to three league wins from three in the month of July, catapulting them to the top of the division. Many had tipped Sunderland to struggle in their first WSL 1 season but Fairweather’s troops have rose to the challenge. Ten goals from three matches also means they’re not just winning, but winning with a swagger.

Goal of the Month: Toni Duggan (Man City)

The striker has been on fire since returning from the World Cup and showed all her class with this opening strike in the 3-0 win over Bristol Academy.