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Chelsea came from behind to beat London rivals West Ham 3-1 on Wednesday evening. Dagny Brynjarsdottir gave West Ham the lead early in the game. Sam Kerr hit the post twice during the first half before Fran Kirby equalised five minutes before the break. Kerr and Millie Bright scored for the hosts during the second half. They had a chance to extend their lead further but Lauren James saw a penalty saved by Mackenzie Arnold.

Chelsea made two changes from their win over Manchester City at the weekend. Katerina Svitkova came in for her debut and Eve Perisset made her first start in place of Maren Mjelde and Lauren James. Following their lose to Manchester United on Sunday, West Ham also made two changes with Grace Fisk and Abbey-Leigh Stringer coming into the starting eleven in place of Jess Ziu and Honoka Hayashi.

There was a minute’s silence before match for groundsman David McKnight who had passed away over weekend.

The away side took the lead in the 3rd minute when Kirsty Smith swung in a corner and unmarked Brynjarsdottir headed in.

Kerr was just unable to get onto a through ball in the 5th minute, and then was caught offside two minutes later as Chelsea started to create opportunities. In the 10th minute, Bright saw a looping effort from a corner saved brilliantly by Arnold.

Two minutes later, Kerr saw her cracking shot from 20 yards hit the post and bounce away. Chelsea appealed for a penalty in the 15th minute when Kadeisha Buchanan went down in the area but referee Tom Reeves played on.

Kerr had another chance in the 20th minute but her shot from the edge of the area went wide. The hosts had another penalty appeal, this time for handball, turned down in the 33rd minute. A minute later, Guro Reiten saw her shot across goal go just past the post.

The post was hit again by Kerr in the 35th minute. The referee had a word with Arnold after this for slowing the game down too much.

Chelsea did equalise in the 40th minute. Reiten’s cross found Kirby who controlled then sliced the ball into the corner of the net. That makes it three goals in three games for Kirby this season.

Both sides had chances before the break. Lucy Parker’s effort for the Hammers from 30 yards went well over whilst Erin Cuthbert’s deflected shot was caught by Arnold as the home side had the last effort of the half.

Chelsea had chances early in the second half with Bright heading wide from a free kick and Kerr heading another opportunity over.

Kerr did give Chelsea the lead in the 58th minute when following a bit of a scramble from a cross, she put the ball into the net from about 6-yards.

Chelsea made it 3-1 in the 62nd minute when a Svitkova corner was headed in by Bright.

Second half substitute Lauren James saw her powerful shot go over in the 69th minute. West Ham’s first chance of the half came in the 76th minute when Thea Kyvag’s shot from 25 yards was saved.

Chelsea immediately went up the other end and James was brought down in the area and a penalty was given. James took the penalty herself but Arnold dived to her left and saved it low down.

Niamh Charles saw her low shot saved in the 78th minute as Chelsea looked to extend their lead further. Bethany England also had a chance for the home side in the 81st minute but her header was off target.

There were no more clear chances as Chelsea won 3-1 and moved up to fourth in the league, level on points with three other sides, but they have played a game more.

Speaking to the press after the match, Emma Hayes said there had been a great reaction to going behind so early and they needed the half to break West Ham down. Hayes also said Chelsea moved the ball well, dominated in the second half and could have won by a bigger margin. They don’t play until after the international break now when they are away to Everton in the WSL on 16th October.

West Ham manager Paul Konchesky told the press it was a fantastic performance from his side and they were disappointed and gutted with the result. Konchesky felt they could have dealt better with Chelsea’s two second half goals. West Ham play London City Lionesses on Sunday in the Conti Cup then their next league game is away to Aston Villa on 15th October.

Line ups

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Berger, Perisset (Charles 63’), Bright, Buchanan, Eriksson (c), Cuthbert, Fleming, Svitkova (England 63’), Kirby (James 63’), Reiten (Rytting Kaneryd 72’), Kerr (Cankovic 72’)

Unused substitutes: Musovic, Nouwen, Ingle, Carter,

Goals – Kirby 40’, Kerr 58’, Bright 62’

West Ham United (5-3-2): Arnold, Shimizu, Parker, Cissoko, Fisk, Smith (Ziu 69’), Stringer (Kyvag 69’), Longhurst, Brynjarsdottir (c), Asseyi (Walker 83’), Evans (Flannery 87’)

Unused substitutes: Hillyerd, Atkinson, Filis, Houssein

Goal – Brynjarsdottir 3’

Bookings – Cissoko 48’, Ziu 74’, Parker 76’

Referee – Tom Reeves

Attendance – 2,842