West Ham United’s final match of the 2018/19 ended in a 4-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brighton opened the scoring through Kayleigh Green when she scored in to an empty net after Anna Moorhouse came running out.
The Seagulls then doubled their lead on 39 minutes. Megan Connolly fired a shot at goal that went under the arms of the Irons goalkeeper.
Fifty minutes later Brighton scored their third goal after some sloppy play at the back allowed Amanda Nilden to score.
Then in the closing moments, Ellie Brazil scored the fourth goal after the ball fell kindly to her after Moorhouse’s save.
It was a slow start to the game with neither side committing themselves too early in the game.
Ini Umotong had the first chance of the game for Brighton, but her strike was well saved by Moorhouse.
Lucienne Reichardt then had the first attempt for the Hammers when she fired a shot from distance that never really troubled the goalkeeper.
On 18 minutes West Ham had another chance when they countered quickly. Jane Ross played the ball out wide to Kate Longhurst who looked to cross to Kiernan, but the attempt was well cut out.
Four minutes later the Seagulls opened the scoring through Green. Moorhouse came off her line and Umotong went around her and fed the ball to Aileen Whelan who passed it on to Green to fire into the empty net.
The Irons looked to fire back quickly when Leanne Kiernan broke with pace and had a shot at goal that was deflected for a corner. Unfortunately, the corner came to nothing.
Brighton then doubled their lead just before half-time. Connolly found herself with the ball 20-yards out from goal and had a shot that Moorhouse let roll underneath her.
On 69 minutes, Brighton could have made it three. Fliss Gibbons fired a shot at Moorhouse who parried it into the path of Whelan, but she fired over from eight yards out.
Seven minutes later West Ham had a chance to score their first. Erin Simon played a great ball in to the box and Marie Hourihan failed to catch it at the first time of asking, but no one was there to pounce on the rebound.
Moments later the Seagulls made it 3-0. Sloppy play at the back from the Hammers allowed Nilden to go through on goal and have the easy job of slotting the ball in to the bottom left corner.
In the closing seconds, Brazil made it four for the Seagulls with her shot hitting the post and going in.
Substitute Brianna Visalli had a chance on 84 minutes with a speculative effort, but Hourihan was equal to it.
West Ham United would like to thank matchday sponsors Urgent Delivery for their support.
West Ham United: Moorhouse; Percival, Flaherty, Hendrix, Simon (Kmita 80); Reichardt (c) (Visalli 75), Cho, Longhurst; Lehmann, Ross (Leon 56), Kiernan
Subs not used: Spencer, Rafferty, Sampson,
Brighton & Hove Albion: Hourihan; Roe, Gibbons, Buet (c), A. Whelan (Natkiel 82), Umotong (Nilden 65), Peplow (Simpkins 82), Green, Brazil, Williams, Connolly
Subs not used: Hartley, F.Whelan, Rafferty, Barton
Goals: Green 22, Connolly 39, Nilden 79, Brazil 90