Charlton’s struggles expose ‘absolute ocean’ between WSL and second tier

Pointless after eight games, Karen Hills’ team are struggling to compete against clubs with chunkier wallets Played eight, lost eight. Welcome to the Women’s Super League, Charlton Athletic, a club in danger of being chewed up, toyed with and spat straight back out by the top tier. Bruised by their 6-0 defeat against Chelsea on Sunday, last season’s playoff winners are finding WSL life tough, conceding more than three goals per game on average and struggling to compete against clubs with chunkier wallets.

But are they underperforming or are they merely the victims of their own success? Promoted against the odds last season, defying some of the bigger-spending sides in the second tier such as Newcastle and Bristol City, Karen Hills’ team overachieved by eventually beating Leicester on penalties to secure a top-flight spot. And that was the last time they had anything to cheer about. Sunday’s trip to second-bottom Crystal Palace, another of the promoted sides, theoretically offers Charlton