Chelsea stayed within striking distance of Manchester United and Arsenal at the top of the FA WSL table after defeating West Ham 3-2 on Sunday at Kingsmeadow. Sam Kerr did the business with her first-ever hat trick for the Blues as the club set a league record for most consecutive home wins with 12.
Fans returned to Chelsea’s home ground for the first time this season and were on their feet in the 15th minute after Kerr’s sliding finish from Fran Kirby’s low cross.
The Kirby Kerr combo is back! @samkerr1 scores her fourth #BarclaysFAWSL goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/o1uUgG0G5R
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 6, 2020
Rachel Daly equalized for West Ham after the break, but Kerr reestablished Chelsea’s lead in the 55th minute after Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold could only parry an effort directly into her international compatriot’s path.
The is at it again! @samkerr1 scores her fifth #BarclaysFAWSL goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/sYsrVOCJyI
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 6, 2020
Some fantastic combination play between Kerr and Kirby led to Chelsea’s third in the 68th minute, although the Australian striker was injured in the hip-on-hip collision with a defender and substituted off shortly after.
Kerr now has six goals in seven WSL appearances this campaign.
She's got her third!
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 6, 2020
Chelsea is in third on 17 points — three behind Manchester United and two behind Arsenal — but the Blues maintain a game in hand. Shifting our focus to the bottom of the table, Tottenham climbed to ninth with its first win of the season at the eighth time of asking.
The 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion included Alex Morgan’s first goal for the club — a penalty in the 84th minute.
The moment we've all been waiting for!
Things you just love to see! pic.twitter.com/m2NoSXeCoo
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) December 6, 2020
Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis both appeared in Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over Everton, but it was Caroline Weir who dictated the match with three first half assists.
