Kerr at the double as Blues get back on track with 4-0 thumping of Everton

By Paul Lagan at Kingsmeadow Stadium

Chelsea 4 v Everton 0

2,379 in attendance

Sam Kerr hit a much-needed brace as champions Chelsea responded from last week’s unexpected 3-2 defeat to Arsenal with devastating finishing to thrash Everton 4-0 at Kingsmeadow.

Fran Kirby opened the scoring and substitute Beth England finished off the rout.

In-between Australian Kerr showed her poise and clinical finishing to give head coach Emma Hayes her first points of the season.

The visitors, by contrast have now lost their opening two WSL games by the same score, putting pressure on manager Willie Kirk.

As expected Chelsea took full control of the ball in the opening exchanges - Kerr forced a fine block from Sandy MacIver on seven minutes, a wayward effort by Pernille Harder five minutes later, an example of the pressure but but the final product - a goal.

But eventually the pressure took its toll on unambitious Everton.

Fran Kirby raced into the Everton penalty area. And like Romelu Lukaku the day before, cut the ball back with her left foot before slotting the ball home. Unlike Lukaku’s fierce drive, Kirby’s was a clipped curler that went in at the far post.

Harder should have doubled the lead after latching onto a Kirby ball, but she drove her low, left-footer wide of goal on 31 minutes.

There were no changes at half-time by either side.

But it took 120 seconds for the Blues to double the score as Everton looked shell-shocked as Sam Kerr slotted home.

Every time the Blues crossed the halfway line, it looked like a goal, Kerr, Harder, Kirby all had half chances, with MacIver proving to be stubborn obstacle. She thwarted Kirby again on 64 minutes.

Everton finally had a shot on target, on 68 minutes - substitute Toni Duggan tried a right-footer from distance, but the effort went straight to Ann-Katrin Berger.

With 18 minutes left in the clock, Kerr got her second. It was a well worked move involving Ji, Kirby and Reiten who arrowed the perfect left wing cross to the in-running Australian, whose diving bullet-header zipped pst MacIver to make it 3-0.

Kerr was then instantly replaced by Beth England, as was Kirby - Jessie Fleming coming on.

The next goal came from the first touch by England, as Erin Cuthbert’s blaster crashed off the crossbar and fell invitingly to England who had the simplest of chances to tap home number four on 80 minutes.

Reiten, Millie Bright, and Ji were replaced by Jonna Andersson, Amiens Nouwen and Drew Spence.

The Blues went in search of number five but it wasn’t needed and they saw out the added minutes with ease.

Teams : Chelsea: Berger, Bright, Ingle, Carter, Ji, Reiten, Kirby, Eriksson, Kerr, Cuthbert, Harder

Subs: Musovic, Nouwen, Leupolz, England, Fleming, Charles, Spence, Andersson

Everton; MacIver, Turner, Bjorne, George, Christiansen, Emilie, Sorensen, Anvegard, Finnigan, Galli, Bennison

Subs: Brosnan, Sevecke, Dali, Duggan, Gauvin, Clinton, Pattinson

Referee: Amy Fearn