Fran Kirby hopes she has found her golden touch after netting a quick-fire hat-trick and helping Chelsea to an emphatic 6-0 FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup win over Millwall Lionesses.
Chelsea dominated from the outset with Ji So-yun netting after 19 minutes as she stroked the ball into the far right corner after a fabulous interchange with Jodie Brett.
Laura Coombs doubled the lead three minutes later when she took advantage of Millwall keeper Frankie Gibbs’ miss-kick but spurned the chance to add another when her spot-kick sailed wide.
Chelsea Ladies 6-0 Millwall Ladies
FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup
Wednesday 26 August
Wheatsheaf Park, Staines
But the Blues were dominant and killed the game off in the second period with Kirby netting an impressive ten-minute hat-trick – combining with Gemma Davison on all three occasions to score from inside the box.
Coombs was then on hand to atone for her earlier miss as she bagged Chelsea’s sixth from the spot in injury time.
“The hat-trick came from all the misses! I was disappointed not to get a few in Sunday’s game and then coming into tonight I knew I had to get some goals to get some confidence,” said Kirby.
“I have to thank Gemma [Davison] for setting me up all three times. I think she could tell I was getting a bit moody so she wanted to give me a couple of goals.
“I know what Gemma likes to do, she likes to get around the outside of players and put the ball in the box and I made sure that I was in the right place at the right time.
“Moving into the centre in the second-half meant I was in better opportunities to score.
“The plan was to come here and give a good account of ourselves. We didn’t have much to lose in this game”
Ashlee Hincks
“It’s been disappointing not scoring as many goals for Chelsea so hopefully now I can kick on in the cup and league.”
For Millwall it is two wins and two losses in Continental Tyres Cup but Ashlee Hincks believes her team can be proud of their performance.
“But we have to hold our heads high. We did well tonight, we dug deep throughout the whole game,” she said.
“That’s why they are where they are in WSL1 – they are by far the best team in the league.
“The plan was to come here and give a good account of ourselves. We didn’t have much to lose in this game.
“In the first-half we had a couple of chances where we could have done a bit better with but Chelsea have quality players and that showed.”
