A stunning goal from substitute Andreya Ezekiel-Meade wasn’t enough to stop West Ham United Ladies falling to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Coventry United.
The away side took the lead in the 20th minute as Alison Hall headed home via the cross-bar, although there was debate as to if the ball had actually crossed the line.
Ezekiel-Meade was introduced after half-an-hour and the No9 smashed home a fantastic goal from distance after Coventry cleared a corner.
Efforts from Molly Peters and Amber Stobbs tested Coventry but the away side secured the points when Hall swept home midway through the second period.
Peters looked like keeping up her recent goalscoring run early on when a low shot went wide of the near post after just a few minutes, while the striker also just missed out on a Rosie Kmita lobbed pass.
It was the away side that then look the lead on 20 minutes. Alison Hall met a precise pass with her head, with the ball bouncing off the underside of the cross-bar and down. After some initial confusion, the referee deemed the ball had crossed the line and the away side were ahead.
Cherie Rowlands was forced into action with a couple of top saves to keep West Ham just the one goal behind, while the Hammers made an early substitution as Ezekiel-Meade came on for Auguste on 29 minutes.
That replacement was justified only minutes later as the forward unleashed an unstoppable curling effort from distance, after Coventry had cleared a corner, to draw the Irons level going into half-time.
The Hammers started the second period with a similar flair and flow, and Peters again came close before Stobbs tested the Coventry goalkeeper with a free-kick.
Peters then forced a brilliant save by Coventry’s Woods with a powerful effort, before the away side took the lead for the second time as Hall swept home her second with just 20 minutes left to play.
The Hammers lost Rosie Kmita to injury late on and, despite pushing hard for an equalising goal, the home side struggled to break down a resolute Coventry defence.
West Ham United Ladies: Rowlads; Mackie, Wheeler, Austin, Auguste (Ezekiel-Meade 29’); Cooper, Burr, R Kmita (M Kmita 89’), Stobbs; Anderson-James (Chong 74’), Peters
Subs not used: Wealthall,
Goals: Ezekiel-Meade 36’
Coventry United Ladies: Wood; Buck, Wilcox, Sorensen, Cooper (Haigh 65’); Smith, Dermondy, Brook, Gauntlett, Steele; Hall
Subs not used: Miles, Jerrrim
Goals: Hall 20’, 70’