Graphic: Michael Alesich

With all but one fixture called off after the FA WSL returns post-holidays, it’s a short and sweet wrap this week. 

Reading 0 – 5 Chelsea

Inspirational midfielder Fran Kirby became Chelsea’s player in the WSL era to score four goals in a league match as her Blues side crushed Reading 5-0 at the Madejski Stadium on Monday (AEDT).

Substitute Ji So-yun added a fifth for the visitors in the closing minutes, but Kirby’s quadruple – including a 29-minute perfect hat-trick in the first half, two of which were assisted by Sam Kerr – had more than made sure all three points would be heading down the M4 to London.

With the WSL returning from its winter break, Reading manager Kelly Chambers stuck true to her side’s most consistent starting XI, with experienced trio Jess Fishlock, Fara Williams and Natasha Harding pulling the strings alongside young striker Emma Harries in attack.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes on the other hand shuffled the deck, resting a host of players ahead of her side’s top-of-the-table clash with Manchester United this coming weekend.

Those changes didn’t seem to sway Chelsea off course, as the Blues – in their striking “Ember Glow” orange kits – put Reading under pressure almost immediately, looking to play through Kerr at the point of the attack, with Kirby in a more traditional #10 role.

Those two players would combine on the quarter-hour mark for the game’s first goal, as Kerr flicked a header on to Kirby from Sophie Ingle’s clearance, and with the midfielder timing her run to perfection, she slid her finish under the advancing Grace Moloney to put her side ahead.

https://twitter.com/BarclaysFAWSL/status/1348274080101801986

Kirby could have had a second moments later if not for the woodwork, lashing a dipping long-range shot off the post, but she wouldn’t be denied on 23 minutes as she pounced on a wayward pass from defender Emma Mitchell, holding her opponent off and slotting her shot home to make it 2-0.

https://twitter.com/BarclaysFAWSL/status/1348276016062500865

Just before half time Kirby made it three, heading home a brilliant cross from Kerr, who recovered an overhit free kick to the back post by Erin Cuthbert to seal a perfect hat-trick for Chelsea’s #10.

https://twitter.com/BarclaysFAWSL/status/1348281406959411201

Kirby continued to bite the hand that once fed her, and with eight minutes of the second half played she’d made it four, heading past Moloney from a pinpoint Guro Reiten corner. 

Hayes called for reinforcements on the hour mark, injecting Ji, Pernille Harder, Magdalena Eriksson and Beth England into proceedings, and it was the Korean who provided Chelsea’s fifth goal as time ticked down, expertly controlling the ball on the volley at close quarters before smashing a shot past Moloney to finish the demolition job.

League table

# Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Manchester United  10 8 2 0 27 9 18 26
2 Chelsea 9 7 2 0 28 5 23 23
3 Arsenal 10 7 1 2 38 8 30 22
4 Manchester City 9 5 3 1 23 9 14 18
5 Everton 9 4 2 3 17 15 2 14
6 Reading 11 3 4 4 13 20 -7 13
7 Birmingham City 8 3 0 5 9 13 -4 9
8 Tottenham Hotspur 9 2 3 4 12 18 -6 9
9 Brighton & Hove Albion 10 2 2 6 7 19 -12 8
10 West Ham United 9 2 1 6 13 23 -10 7
11 Aston Villa 8 2 0 6 8 17 -9 6
12 Bristol City 10 0 2 8 6 45 -39 2

 

Upcoming fixtures

Manchester City vs Aston Villa at Academy Stadium – 11.30pm, Sunday 17/1 
Everton vs Bristol City at Walton Hall Park – 12am, Monday 18/1
Reading vs Arsenal at Madejski Stadium – 1am, Monday 18/1
Birmingham City vs Brighton & Hove Albion at Damson Park – 1am, Monday 18/1 
Chelsea vs Manchester United at Kingsmeadow – 1.30am, Monday 18/1
West Ham United vs Tottenham Hotspur at Victoria Road – 2am, Monday 18/1

DALE ROOTS
DALE ROOTS
Dale is a Canberra-born, Sydney-based writer for Beyond90, covering both W-League and NPL competitions, as well as the Australian national teams.
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