Spurs Women fall short in tight contest against Chelsea

A Sam Kerr brace sealed the points as Spurs Women lost 2-0 to Chelsea in the Barclay’s FA Women’s Super League on Wednesday at the Hive.

The striker got on the end of Guro Reiten’s cross for her first goal, before netting her second after Becky Spencer denied her original attempt from close range. 

Rehanne Skinner made five changes to the side that lost 4-1 to Manchester United last time out, which included central midfielder Chloe Peplow being handed her first start of 2021, while Alanna Kennedy missed the game through injury. 

The visitors’ first goalscoring chance was kept out by Shelina Zadorsky who made a superb block, before Spencer saved Drew Spence’s follow-up effort. Sophie Ingle was then kept out after her shot, which was flying towards the top corner, was saved magnificently by Spencer. 

For us, a long diagonal free-kick by Siri Worm picked out Lucy Quinn perfectly, her touch around the outside of the defender took her into the box before she forced Ann-Katrin Berger into a reaction save with a low strike. 

Chelsea then took the lead in the 41st minute through Kerr, who arrived at the back post to convert Reiten’s drilled ball across the face of the goal. Joanna Andersson almost doubled the visitors’ lead straight after half-time as she struck the crossbar from outside the area. 

Kerr then doubled her tally and Chelsea’s lead after her original header was saved excellently by Spencer from close range, but the follow-up attempt was tucked in by the striker. 

We had attempts on goal through Esther Morgan and Rachel Williams, but Berger was equal to the shots on both occasions. Rianna Dean was unlucky not to find the back of the net in injury time as she struck a fierce left-footed volley that bounced just wide of the goal. 

The result means we remain in eighth place. Our next game is against Birmingham City at Damson Park on Sunday (9 May 2.30pm).

Reaction on Spurs TV

'I’m pleased overall that we’ve improved with our performance against them compared to last time'

Rehanne Skinner told Spurs TV: "Ultimately we’ve created some chances, but we’ve got to be able to take them better. But we were resilient in defence and we made life difficult for them. We were very rarely broken down in central areas - just from wide areas - and you give yourself an opportunity to stay in the game by doing that.”

Match data

Goals: Chelsea - Kerr 41, 53.

Yellow card: Spurs - McManus 90.

Referee: Amy Fearn.

Venue: The Hive. 

Weather: Rain, six degrees.

Attendance: Behind closed doors.