Jess King’s injury-time goal saw Charlton dramatically snatch a smash-and-grab win, inflicting a second successive Women’s Championship defeat on Rovers Ladies.

That was despite Gemma Donnelly’s side having much the better of things at Bamber Bridge as Natasha Fenton and new signing Elise Hughes struck the woodwork in the first half, while a number of other chances went begging.

A frantic finale could have seen either side snatch victory, but it was Charlton who left victorious courtesy of a composed injury-time finish from King.

Donnelly was without her captain, and last season’s top scorer, Saffron Jordan after she was sent off in the opening day defeat at Leicester.

There were other changes to the side, but Donnelly felt her side did more than enough to win the game.

"I'm very disappointed," she said, "I thought we did enough to warrant the three points, let alone coming away with a draw.

"First-half we were brilliant, we created more than enough chances, we hit the crossbar a couple of times and we were really knocking on the door.

"I thought it was only a matter of time before we converted one of those chances, but that wasn't to be and of course as the time went on, the pressure rose.

"And to be fair to Charlton, they've come out second-half and given us more of a game, I thought it became quite stretched second-half.

“It's definitely not the result we were anticipating and based on the performance overall I thought we were excellent and we deserved more so it's disappointing."

For Charlton, it was a first league win since May 19, having been spared relegation last term due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and they now sit on four points from their opening two fixtures.

Rovers started the stronger as Meg Boydell couldn’t find the target from long range and debutant Hughes then nodded Boydell’s right-wing cross narrowly wide.

Rovers came even closer on 23 minutes as Fenton’s turn and shot cannoned against the crossbar before the dangerous Boydell floated another delivery into the six-yard box, where the unmarked Jade Richards was millimetres away from getting her head to the ball.

And on the stroke of half-time, the hosts hit the woodwork again, Hughes latching on to Fenton’s precise through ball and striking the post with her shot.

Charlton’s best first-half effort was a tame effort from King, yet they almost scored on the hour mark as Blackburn goalkeeper Fran Bentley did well to repel Jenna Legg’s effort with King’s follow-up ruled offside.

But Rovers soon regained their dominance, substitute Georgia Walters bundling in, only for the goal to be ruled out as the ball had already gone out of play, and Ellie Fletcher then forcing Katie Startup into a smart save.

At the other end, a back-pedalling Bentley tipped a speculative Lois Heuchan cross-shot over the bar and Bethan Roe sliced wide from Rachel Newborough’s cross.

The game became frantic as it entered the final ten minutes with Bentley pushing Rea Laudat’s strike round the post and then alertly tipping wide a tricky, deflected Ciara Watling effort.

Hughes then missed a golden opportunity for Blackburn as she raced clear but could only hit her half-volley into the side netting and the Addicks made their hosts pay two minutes into injury-time.

They pounced on a poor clearance from Bentley, King beat the offside trap and chipped the ball over the keeper into the net to dramatically seal the win.

Rovers: Fran Bentley, Ellie Fletcher, Isobel Dean, Ellie Stewart, Jade Richards, Charlotte Newsham, Natasha Fenton, Emma Doyle, Meg Boydell, Aimee Hodgson, Elise Hughes

Subs: Walters for Boydell, 59

Not used: Alex Brooks, Emma Bradley, Megan Dykes, Leah Embley

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