Aston Villa Women lost 2-1 to Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday afternoon.
Nikita Parris scored a first-half double to put the home side in the ascendancy.
Rachel Daly won and converted a penalty kick with 30 minutes to go, but Villa's attempted comeback fell just short.
The result, and Leicester City's win over Everton, meant Villa dropped down one place to eighth in the Barclays WSL.
United started the better of the two teams and took the lead after just seven minutes when Parris sent a glancing header beyond Daphne van Domselaar and into the far corner.
Parris doubled hers and United's tally before the half-time break when she reacted quickest after the ball had hit the woodwork.
Possession
52%Shots
8Shots On Target
3Corners
4Fouls
121
0
Cards
3
0
Villa came out of the interval with a new-found energy and purpose, perhaps spearheaded by the introduction of former United player Kirsty Hanson from the bench.
They soon got themselves back into the encounter too.
Daly was brought down by Lucia Garcia inside the penalty area, and our number nine dusted herself down to smash home the ensuing kick past England teammate Mary Earps.
An equaliser suddenly looked on the cards, and Hanson went closest when she forced Earps into a sprawling save from the left-hand side of the area.
Daly also missed narrowly when she attempted to slide home from a low cross.
van Domselaar, meanwhile, kept the score close at the other end with some superb stops.
Villa's comeback attempt fell short, and they will attempt to bounce back against Bristol City on Saturday.
Man Utd Women: Earps, Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell, Naalsund, Zelem, Geyse Ferreira (Malard 83'), Toone (Guerrero 83'), García (Galton 69'), Parris (Williams 68')
Subs: Guerrero, Malard, Galton, Ladd, Evans, Williams, Aherne, Tullis-Joyce
A Villa Women: van Domselaar, Mayling, Patten, Corsie, Maritz, Dali, Nobbs, Blindkilde Brown, Leon (Salmon 78'), Daly, Lehmann (Hanson 45')
Subs: Gregory, Poor, Salmon, Mullett, Hanson, Leat, Magill, Pacheco
