Chelsea moved within a point of Women’s Super League leaders Arsenal with a 4-0 thumping of Manchester City.
City and Chelsea have dominated women’s game in recent seasons, but the Manchester side are enduring their worst ever start to a WSL season, having been decimated by injuries to key players.
Hayes’ side are chasing a third successive title and having watched Arsenal drop points for the first time this season in Saturday’s north London derby, took full advantage to close the gap on one rival and pile the misery on another.
The Blues opened the scoring inside two minutes as Sam Kerr’s pressing work was rewarded, Jessie Fleming nipping in to steal the ball and roll home.
City were actually the better side for much of the first half, and should have had a penalty when Ann-Katrin Berger cleaned out Lauren Hemp in a challenge which left both needing treatment.
In the lengthy period of stoppage time that was added because of that incident, Kerr got herself on the scoresheet as Chelsea punished Alex Greenwood’s error in possession with a clinical second on the break.
Fran Kirby made it three soon after the restart, her effort - which may have been a cross - finding its way in off the far post, before Magdalena Eriksson headed from a set-piece four minutes later to effectively end the game as a contest with half-an-hour still to play.
