Two goals each from Rachel Williams and Eniola Aluko helped Chelsea see off Everton 5-2 and edge them closer to The FA Women’s Super League 1 title.
Much of the result was due to a rampant first half which saw Williams and Aluko score twice to leave them 4-2 up after Lucy Whipp and Nikita Parris scored for Everton, while Hannah Blundell added a fifth after the break.
Striker Williams headed in Aluko’s cross after just 37 seconds before Rachel Finnis-Brown saved Yuki Ogimi’s penalty after Gabby George was judged to have handled in the area.
Chelsea 5-2 Everton
FA WSL 1
Sunday 5 October
Staines Town FC
But Ogimi soon made amends, sending in a defence-splitting pass to set Aluko free to finish on 12 minutes.
Five minutes later already-relegated Everton pulled a goal back when Whipp intercepted Laura Bassett’s under-hit back pass and rounded goalkeeper Marie Hourihan. Parris raced past the Chelsea backline to make it 2-2 on 33 minutes.
However Chelsea hit back, with Williams smashing home on 36 minutes and Aluko pouncing on a defensive mix up just before the break for 4-2.
The game slowed after the break although Blundell got herself on the scoresheet with 10 minutes remaining after jinking her way into the area.
Victory over Manchester City next Sunday would guarantee the Blues their first FA WSL title.
Chelsea: Hourihan; Blundell, Flaherty, Bassett, Borges; So-Yun (Spence 81), Groenen (Coombs 65), Chapman; Williams, Ogimi (Rafferty 70), Aluko.
Substitutes not used: Farrow, Buet, Wilhelmsson, Meiwald.
Everton: Brown-Finnis; Greenwood, Whelan, Williams (Handley 67), George (V Jones 9); Chaplen, D Turner, K Jones, Hinnigan; Parris, Whipp.
Substitutes not used: Walsh, Kane, M Turner.
Referee: Samuel Ogles
