Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor pinpointed the increased involvement of Lauren Hemp as key to his side’s second-half improvement as they blew Brighton away in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.
The winger signed a two-year contract extension in the week and celebrated by setting up the opener with a cross which Victoria Williams turned into her own net before adding the second with a sublime lob.
Georgia Stanway and Laura Coombs then found the net as City scored four in the first ten minutes of the second period before Hayley Raso and Vicky Losada added their names to the scoresheet late on.
"It was a good performance from us,” Taylor said. “There were good parts of our play in the first half where we just needed to take more care but the first good pass in the second half, we score with an own-goal.
"One of the messages at half-time was get it to Lauren (Hemp). She was really at it today and brings so much energy to the team. She's great and we're glad to have her.
"It's the same with Ellen (White), who put in a leader’s performance. She'll be disappointed she didn't score but she had a hand in a lot of goals.”
City’s six-goal second-half salvo means they are now within four points of the top three and Taylor was pleased with the patience his side showed against a Brighton outfit who initially proved tough to break down.
"The problem you have with Brighton is that they're so determined, they never give up,” he added.
"You don't have that comfortable afternoon and you have to be resolute but some of our play in the second half was very, very good.
“We were annoyed not to take our chances [in the first half]. We spoke a bit about the back four squeezing up but it was more about the final pass.
"We had moments in the first half but in the second we really opened up and the players played with confidence. We started to play our game.”
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