03:04
football, The FA Women's Super League
Martha Thomas' hat-trick helped move West Ham off the bottom of the table with an emphatic victory over Reading. Kenza Dali's cross sailed over Royals goalkeeper Grace Moloney after seven minutes, before Katerina Svitkova nodded in at the back post. Thomas put the Hammers 3-0 up after 11 minutes before adding two more, her third a fine lob after 37 minutes. Reading pushed for a second-half goal but West Ham kept their clean sheet intact as they moved up to 10th. The visitors moved above relegation rivals Aston Villa and Bristol City thanks to a dazzling first-half display that belied their position at the foot of the table. Dali got West Ham off to the perfect start in fortuitous circumstances as her cross sailed over Moloney, and Svitkova headed in Kate Longhurst's cross to make it two inside 10 minutes. Just a minute later it was three, as Dali seized on some loose Reading passing in midfield to drive forward and make space for Thomas to extend the advantage against their shell-shocked hosts. The Royals again played a part in their own downfall for the fourth, giving the ball away unnecessarily to allow Cecilie Redisch to exchange passes with Thomas before squaring it for the Scottish striker to add her second. Thomas completed her hat-trick after 37 minutes, expertly lifting the ball over the advancing Moloney following Dali's through ball, to make it 5-0 at half-time. Rachel Rowe had a chance to get a goal back for Reading who started the second period brightly, but her effort curled narrowly wide of the post. West Ham goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan was determined to keep her clean sheet intact as Reading began to ask more questions, but had her crossbar to thank late on when Fara Williams' free-kick rattled the woodwork. The victory is West Ham's first league win since 13 December and their first under manager Olli Harder, ending an eight-game winless run. #MarthaThomas, #WestHamWomen, #OliHarder, #ReadingFCWomen, #JessFishlock, #AgharadJames, #WomenSuperLeague, #FAWSL, #BarclaysFAWSL.
2021-04-03
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