Ruthless Spurs dominate in 8-0 win over Brighton - on-the-whistle report

Tottenham Hotspur Women produced our best display of the season so far, and our biggest ever WSL win, with a convincing and professional 8-0 win away to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women's Super League on Sunday afternoon.

Molly Bartrip put us ahead spectacularly inside just two minutes, before Nikola Karczewska doubled our lead in the 19th.

Ashleigh Neville continued her excellent run of form with our impressive third goal of the afternoon, and Drew Spence showed great footwork to score on the brink of half-time to send us unto the interval with a 4-0 lead.

Neville scored early in the second half, before Spence got her second and our sixth, and Jessica Naz then lobbed the keeper from Brighton's kick-off. Naz added another late on for 8-0.

Rehanne Skinner made two changes to the side that lost 3-0 at home to Manchester City last weekend, Tinja-Riikka Korpela replacing Rebecca Spencer in goal and Karczewska coming in for the injured Ellie Brazil.

The game couldn't have got off to a better start for us, as Bartrip spotted the opportunity to go forward for a short corner. Receiving the ball from Angharad James, who was on the same wavelength, Bartrip looked up and looped a shot over the top of Megan Walsh in style.

Bartrip then had to receive treatment at the other end after sliding the ball out of play while covering for Shelina Zadorsky, but was thankfully able to carry on.

Veatriki Sarri had Albion's first chance of the game, shooting straight at Korpela. The hosts came closer to an equaliser when Eveliina Summanen gave the ball away in a dangerous area, allowing Julia Zigiotti Olme to test Korpela with a shot towards the bottom right from distance, but our number one was equal to it.

Then, Karczewska demonstrated typical number nine, poacher instincts by chasing down a pass back to Brighton goalkeeper Walsh, narrowing the angle and giving herself an open goal to tap the ball into.

Spence curled high and wide from just outside the left of the 18-yard box just shy of the half-hour mark, before Celin Bizet pulled the ball back from the right for Spence to win a corner for Spurs.

From that set-piece, James lifted the ball in for Summanen, who flicked it on towards the back post. Neville was on hand to cushion it back across goal into the top right corner on her left foot with power and precision and knee slide away with delight.

Korpela had another comfortable catch to make, this time to deny Poppy Pattinson, and Neville then saw another strike saved by Walsh on the brink of half-time.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half, Neville put Spence through on goal, and she cleverly twisted and turned her feet to wrong foot Victoria Williams and pick out the bottom right corner for 4-0.

We showed no signs of slowing down in the second half. Naz, on as a half-time subtitute, crossed for Bizet, but her shot was too soft. Bizet had another strike saved by Walsh before Danielle Carter's low shot was deflected out for a Brighton corner, which came to nothing.

Korpela saved again with a catch from Olme's shot, but we then made it 5-0 as Neville headed in a right-wing cross from Bizet.

Spence got her second and our sixth when she received the ball in the penalty area from Neville, swivelled, and smashed it past Walsh in the 58th minute.

Straight from the following Brighton kick-off, the Seagulls gave the ball away and Naz lobbed the keeper for an emphatic seventh Spurs goal of the day.

Bizet curled wide of the post and, among the afternoon's substitutions, Gracie Pearse made her Spurs debut when she came on for Bartrip in the 71st minute, before Sarri saw her free-kick saved by Korpela with 15 minutes remaining.

Elisabeth Terland almost gave Brighton a consolation in the 78th minute, but saw her effort deflected just past the post.

In the 83rd minute, the ball fell kindly for Naz to place it into the top right for 8-0. Carter saw another shot blocked behind for a Brighton corner in the 90th minute, but we headed the danger away as two minutes were added on.

Match data

Goals: Spurs Women - Bartrip 2', Karczewska 19', Neville 29', 56', Spence 45+2', 58', Naz 60', 83'.

Yellow cards: Spurs Women - Naz 75'.

Referee: Louise Saunders.

Venue: Broadfield Stadium, Crawley.

Weather: Dry and cloudy, 16 degrees.

Attendance: 2,514.