After Matilda Vinberg cancelled out Lauren James’ opener to leave the game nicely poised at 1-1 at the interval, we had chances to take the lead early in the second half only to be hit by a triple sucker-punch, goals from Ellie Carpenter, James and Sjoeke Nusken putting our hosts in control.
Another flurry of goals brought the game to its conclusion as Maika Hamano made it 5-1 in the 86th minute, Signe Gaupset added our second a minute later before Carpenter completed a 6-2 victory for Chelsea in stoppage time. That was our 14th defeat in 14 WSL matches against the Blues and, after such a positive start to the campaign, represented the second time in as many games that we’ve conceded six.
Martin Ho made two changes to the team that started our previous match before the international break against London City Lionesses. Ella Morris came in for Caitlin Dijkstra for her first start in the WSL this campaign, while Vinberg replaced Kirsty Hanson further forward. Captain Drew Spence made her 215th WSL appearance and she’s now just one behind all-time record holder Millie Bright.
As the game got underway in the west London sunshine, we had a glorious chance to take the lead in the fifth minute, Victoria Pelova doing really well to win the ball back high up the pitch and slide a pass in to Gaupset, in on goal with just Hannah Hampton to beat, but her tame shot was easy for the Chelsea goalkeeper.
The hosts started to take control after that let-off, getting into good attacking positions and creating chances, Keira Walsh with a 30-yard drive which was deflected wide off Toko Koga, Melvine Malard headed a free-kick over from eight yards out before Morris made a superb block to deny Walsh in the 22nd minute.
The pressure finally told three minutes later. James dispossessed Koga in our right-back position, moved into the area near the byline and drilled past Lize Kop from a tight angle to give Chelsea the lead. There was almost an immediate response when Morris’ low ball across the area was heading towards Cathinka Tandberg until Kadeisha Buchanan got a toe on it to divert it behind for a corner. Spence then tested Hampton with a snap shot from 15 yards.
The contest levelled out and we grew into the match, equalising with a deserved goal just four minutes before the break. After Spence had broken up a Chelsea counter, we worked the ball out to Julie Blakstad on the left flank and she curled in a wonderful cross which Vinberg met with a back-post header past Hampton and we went in level at half-time.
We were quickly on the front foot again at the start of the second period, Vinberg’s shot forcing a decent save from Hampton for a corner while Malard went close at the other end, her curling shot just over the crossbar. But, despite our good start to the half, we found ourselves 4-1 down by the mid-way point of it as the hosts hit three goals in nine minutes. We fell behind again on 58 minutes after Alyssa Thompson raced down the Chelsea left and into the area before cutting back for Carpenter to finish left-footed past Kop. And it was 3-1 just four minutes later when James picked the ball up just outside the centre circle and drove through the middle of the pitch before applying a clinical finish into the far corner from the edge of the area. Chelsea’s fourth came on 67 minutes, Walsh with a neat flick to find Nusken 15 yards out and she smashed the ball past Kop.
We made all five of our substitutions in the closing 20 minutes, including a return to action for Lenna Gunning-Williams who made her first appearance of the season for us following surgery during the summer. And she almost assisted our second of the afternoon in the 84th minute when she picked out Hanson, whose first-time volley was well saved by Hampton and Chelsea cleared the danger.
Instead, the home side added a fifth when Hamano – who spent last season on loan with us – hit a 25-yard right-foot shot which faded away from Kop into the top corner, although we did respond immediately to make it 5-2, Gaupset stealing in to win the ball ahead of Walsh on the edge of the area and sliding home past Hampton. Carpenter had the final say though, swivelling inside the box in the 92nd minute to round off the scoring on what was another difficult afternoon for us.
Line-ups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton, Carpenter, Bronze (c) (Bjorn 68), Buchanan, McCabe, Walsh, Potter (Cuthbert 61), James (Beever-Jones 72), Kaptein (Hamano 61), Thompson, Malard (Nusken 61). Substitutes (not used): Peng, Buurman, Baltimore, Dragoni.
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kop, Morris (Sombath 79), Koga, A Nilden, Blakstad, Gaupset, Spence (c), Holdt (Hanson 71), Pelova (Summanen 71), Vinberg (Gunning-Williams 79), Tandberg (Martinez 79). Substitutes (not used): Panengstuen, Dijkstra, M Nilden, Wijk.
Match data
Goals: Chelsea – James 25, 62, Carpenter 58, 90+2, Nusken 67, Hamano 86; Spurs – Vinberg 41, Gaupset 87.
Yellow cards: Chelsea – Cuthbert; Spurs – A Nilden, Pelova, Koga.
Referee: Kirsty Dowle.
Venue: Stamford Bridge.
Weather: Light cloud, sunny spells, gentle breeze, 14 degrees.
Attendance: 7,814.