Bristol City 0-4 West Ham United
Barclays FA Women’s Super League
Twerton Park
Sunday 13 December 2020
West Ham United claimed a deserved three points with a 4-0 Barclays FA Women’s Super League win away to Bristol City.
Pressure in the early exchanges led to the Hammers forcing an own-goal by Jemma Purfield on 11 minutes, before Emily van Egmond, Rachely Daly and Martha Thomas showed the away team’s quality with three excellent goals in the second period.
With two changes to the starting XI from the closely contested loss at Chelsea, the Hammers looked to catch the Robins out with pace. It nearly paid off early doors too, as Grace Fisk found Martha Thomas over the top, earning the away side a corner.
Rachel Daly’s set pieces caused issues, as three times in quick succession Cho So-hyun was first to the ball. The first should have result in a first goal in Claret and Blue for the Korean Republic international, as her header went agonisingly wide, while the second flicked effort was cleared off the line.
West Ham’s early pressure counted with the third Daly corner. Under immense pressure, Jemma Purfield could only turn the ball into her own net, giving the away team a deserved lead on 11 minutes.
Bristol City thought they had levelled just moments later, as Gemma Evans coolly turned home from a set-piece, but a swiftly raised flag from the fourth official showed that the Robins defender had been offside.
Blustery south-west conditions saw the fixture turn a tad scrappy, with both teams looking to get a foot on the ball in midfield. Adriana Leon’s free-kick from 25 yards was deflected away, and the score-line remained 1-0 in West Ham’s favour at the interval.
With just one goal separating the two sides, West Ham went on the hunt for even further reward as the second half began. They would have had it too, had Sophie Baggaley not done superbly to deny Leon’s close-range volley at the near post.
Van Egmond then saw a header from a corner go wide but the Australian would not be denied a fifth goal of the season. An excellent ball over the top was found by the rapid Thomas. The No9 collected, sent a precise cross into the area for Van Egmond to sweep home and double West Ham’s advantage.
Goalscorer turned provider less than six minute later. This time, Van Egmond collected the ball out on the left wing and sent in a deep cross to the back post. Daly rose highest, getting past her marker, bulleting home her effort into the top far corner.
Substitute Alisha Lehmann will feel like she should have got the team’s fourth, after Thomas played her through into space, but the fourth would come courtesy of the Hammers’ No9 with a strong finish from the edge of the box, ensuring the points headed back up to east London.
Bristol City: Baggaley (c); Bryson, Evans, Rafferty, Humphrey (Salmon 63), Daniels; Allen, Bissell (Wellings 55), Harrison, Purfield; Mastrantonio
Subs not used: Haaland, Collis, Wilson, Jones
West Ham United: Arnold; Redisch, Flaherty (c), Fisk, Joel (Cissoko 82); Cho, Grant (Dali 55), Van Egmond; Daly, Thomas (Kiszkis 89), Leon (Lehmann 82)
Subs not used: Brosnan, Vetterlein, Longhurst, Svitkova, Nor
Goals: Purfield (OG) 11, Van Egmond 58, Daly 64, Thomas 86
