Goals either side of half-time from Keira Walsh and Alyssa Thompson gave Chelsea a 2-0 victory in the Women's Super League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Going into the game only a point behind the Blues, and with the visitors having lost back-to-back matches, we sensed an opportunity and were the better side for much of the first half, Olivia Holdt once again proving a real threat and going close with a stunning individual effort that struck the crossbar after only 11 minutes.
Bethany England later fired a good chance over the bar, but when Walsh struck in the wake of a half-cleared corner against the run of play six minutes before the break, the tide of momentum changed and a second goal for the Blues from Thompson four minutes after the restart left us with an uphill battle. Holdt squandered a golden chance to pull one back when she fired straight at goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, but in truth the visitors controlled most of the second half and saw out the game to ensure our wait for a WSL win against them goes on.
Holdt's early shot-on-the-turn was comfortable for Hampton before the forward almost grabbed what would have been a spectacular opener, running into space before unleashing a superb shot from distance that crashed off the bar. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd latched onto a good diagonal pass for Chelsea but was denied at the back post by a combination of Lize Kop and Amanda Nilden, but we stayed on the front foot and the latter's cut-back nearly lead to a breakthrough with both Signe Gaupset and England seeing shots charged down in the Chelsea box.
Julie Blakstad showed great footwork to get to the byline and cut back for England, but our skipper could only send her effort over the bar in what was another good opportunity for us just before the half-hour mark. We were moving the ball freely and with purpose, Blakstad next to have a go when her shot-on-the-turn was blocked, but we were hit with a sucker punch in the 39th minute when Erin Cuthbert's corner was only cleared as far as the unmarked Walsh at the edge of the area, who drove home through a crowded box to put her side in front.
From there, Chelsea took control, Lauren James putting a couple of efforts over the bar in the run-up to half-time before Thompson netted the killer second in the 49th minute, firing home from inside the box after Sjoeke Nusken's effort on the break was repelled by Kop. Naomi Girma swiped a shot through to Kop and it was only a vital intervention from Hanna Wijk - on her first start for us - that prevented Sandy Baltimore from adding to Chelsea's advantage.
However, we wouldn't relent and after substitute Cathinka Tandberg headed a good chance over the bar, she sent Holdt racing through on goal with only Hampton to beat, but she blasted her shot straight into the grasp of the latter and the opportunity went begging. Tandberg and Lenna Gunning-Williams both tested Hampton, but the final attack went to Chelsea as Rytting Kaneryd initially got away from Nilden but was caught and dispossessed by the left-back, with Kop pouncing low to avert the danger.