Everton end 108-game Arsenal run

One of the longest unbeaten records in any top division is over after 2007 UEFA Women's Cup winners Arsenal LFC suffered a first FA Women's Premier League defeat in 108 games at the hands of Everton LFC.

Perfect records
The pair both had 100 per cent winning records going into the game at Arsenal's Borehamwood home, the Gunners having secured 16 victories and Everton 14 in the 22-round season. Arsenal, without a domestic loss since last February's 1-0 League Cup final defeat by Everton and unbeaten in the league for five and a half years, beat the Toffees 3-1 in the FA Women's Cup last four seven days ago, but the outcome was different today.

'Absolutely delighted'
Against an Arsenal side without injured captain Faye White and pregnant striker Julie Fleeting, as well as recently-departed trio Kelly Smith, Alex Scott and Karen Carney, Everton led 2-0 on 13 minutes Fara Williams and Michelle Hinnigan, with Jill Scott adding the third after the break, inflicting the Gunners' first home league defeat since 7 November 2002. "We are abolsutely delighted," Everton assistant coach Andy Spence told the club's official website. "It was an excellent performance and a great response to last week. Every single one of them contributed to what was a fantastic performance. Obviously all records come to an end at some stage. We're just happy it's us that ended it."

European aim
Arsenal's unbeaten run of 108 league games equals that of what is considered the world record for a men's top division, set by ASEC Abidjan of Ivory Coast between 1989 and 1994. The Gunners, who exited this season's UEFA Women's Cup in the quarter-finals, will attempt to exact revenge when they visit Everton on a date to be arranged, as the Gunners continue their bid for a sixth straight league championship and a third domestic treble. Everton are hoping for a first title in eleven years, but they are in good shape to make a second European appearance if England are one of the countries giving two berths in the UEFA Women's Champions League to launch next season.