Kerr’s winner in 2-1 win over Spurs puts Chelsea within touching distance of WSL title retention

By Paul Lagan at Kingsmeadow

Chelsea 2 v Spurs 1

3,660 in attendance

Sam Kerr once again proved that a clinical finisher can drag a team to victory as out-of-sorts Chelsea scrapped home 2-1 against robust Spurs at Kingsmeadow tonight.

Kerr notched the winner deep into added time after Spurs’ Kerry’s Harrop levelled a minute before.

Chelsea had taken a 19th minute lead through Beth England and could and should have had several goals before that.

It looked as if the Blues had played a game too many, and after Sunday’s exertions which saw the the Blues beat Spurs 3-1 at the Hive, it was no surprise to see the visitors raise their game.

But those three points put the Blues within touching distance of retaining their WSL title, with Arsenal breathing down their necks and hoping for a hiccup from the west Londoners.

Chelsea dominated the opening exchanges and should have scored on five minutes when a Mille Bright cross was met by skipper Magda Eriksson head, but she clipped the ball wide

This was followed by a flurry of good chances, first Guro Reiten shot wide from close range.

This was followed by an Erin Cuthbert goal-bound shot which was blocked and cleared.

Pernille Harder then scuffed a shot wide before, on 19 minutes, Beth England latched onto a cross by Jonna Andersson on the left, and the England striker nodded the ball past Tinj-Riikka Korpela to open the score.

Harder latched onto a Reiten cross but scooped her angled effort over the crossbar as the Blues went for a second goal.

Reiten then saw her shot blocked by Korpela, the ball edged towards goal before being cleared off the line by Molly Bartrip.

But the visitors levelled on the stroke of half-time when Kerry’s Harrop had a free header after meeting Kyah Simon’s free-kick.

But some sublime skill from Harder seconds later when she chased down her own back heel, saw her clip the ball into the six-yard box and Sam Kerr, quiet all night, headed the ball firmly home to restore the lead.

Spurs played much better in the second half, and whenever they got into the final third of the champions, the Chelsea defence looked shaky.

But there was not much happening at the other end, with the game lacking much fluidity or dominance by either side.

Cuthbert tried a long-range effort on 79 minutes. The ball struck Korpela’s right post before going for a goal kick.

England should have put the game to bed with six minutes left, when, after excellent set up ply by Andersson, the striker glanced a free header wide from close range.

Chelsea now have two games remaining and face bottom of the league Birmingham City away on such.

Teams: Chelsea, Musovic, Bright, Ingle, Carter, England, Reiten, Eriksson, Kerr, Cuthbert, Harder, Andersson

Subs: Soper, Nouwen, Fleming, Mjelde, James, Charles, Spence, Abdullina

Spurs, Korpela, Zadorsky, Bartrip , Harrow, Cho, Williams, Schnaderbeck, Ale, Simon, Clemaron, Ayane

Subs: Spencer, Green, Tang, Addison, Summanen, Lane