Loan report: Bance helps keep Rangers in top spot

Midfielder Libby Bance laid on the first goal for Rangers as they remained top of the Scottish Women's Premier League.

The midfielder helped Rangers to a 3-1 win over Spartans, keeping her team a point clear at the top.

In the Women’s Championship, Lulu Jarvis came on as a late substitute for Reading in their 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City at St Andrew’s and Chelsea Ferguson was also used from the bench as Blackburn Rovers lost 3-0 to London City Lionesses.

There were mixed fortunes for Albion loanees in the first round of the FA Cup.

Ed Turns helped Leyton Orient reach the second round for only the second time in eight years with a 3-1 win over League One rivals Carlisle United,  but Marc Leonard’s Northampton Town were on the end of a shock 3-1 home defeat to League 2 Barrow with the midfielder playing the full 90 minutes.

Neither Cam Peupion (Cheltenham) or James Beadle (Oxford) were involved in their ties. Cheltenham lost 5-1 at AFC Wimbledon but Oxford beat Maidenhead United 2-0. Jensen Weir was an unused substitute as Blackpool progressed 2-0 at National League Bromley. There was also disappointment  for Bailey Smith who played 74 minutes for Worthing at Alfreton Town which ended in a 2-0 win for the home side.

Abdallah Sima helped Rangers to a 3-1 win over Hearts at Hampden Park and a place in next month's Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen. Sima has nine goals this season but none in his last four matches.

Andrew Moran helped Blackburn Rovers to an impressive 3-1 win at Norwich City, their fourth in the last five games, with two assists. He was also named in the Championship's team of the week. 

Jeremy Sarmiento returned after injury to help West Bromwich Albion claim a third successive win in the Championship. The Baggies beat Hull City 3-1 at the Hawthorns with the midfielder coming on for the last five minutes.

Carl Rushworth kept his fourth clean sheet of the season in Swansea’s goalless draw with Sunderland while Yasin Ayari came off at the break during Coventry City’s 3-2 defeat to Preston North End at Deepdale.

In Europe there was no goal for a fourth successive game for Deniz Undav as Stuttgart went down 2-0 to Heidenheim while Kjell Scherpen’s Sturm Graz lost 3-1 at LASK in the Austrian top flight. Steven Alzate played for 68 minutes in Standard Liege’s 1-1 draw against Mechelen in Belgium while Kacper Kozlowski was substituted at half-time in Vitesse Arnhem’s 5-1 defeat at Go Ahead Eagles.