Manchester City Women 5, West Ham Women 0
Georgia Stanway scored a double for Manchester City on her 100th appearance for the club but was also sent off as City ran out 5-0 winners over a poor West Ham Women side.
Stanway hit her 38th and 39th career City goals in between Ellen White’s opener and City’s fourth goal of the day by Lauren Hemp in an entirely one sided first half.
After the break, White hit the woodwork before Tessa Wullaert made it five after she was teed up by Stanway in the tye of thrashing that City haven’t put on regularly for a couple of seasons.
It was a memorable 100th appearance for Stanway as she followed up her double strike and assist with a second yellow card after persistent fouling with 18 minutes to go on Women’s Football Weekend.
City deployed both Caroline Weir and Jill Scott deeper to compensate for the loss of the suspended Keira Walsh but they needn’t have been so cautious.
In a one sided first half, City overloaded the West Ham defence at will, forcing nine first half corners, and earning their first goal after just 11 minutes when Weir’s corner found Scott whose flicked header came back off Gilly Flaherty on the line but White reacted first to poke the rebound home for her first WSL goal for City.
Weir came close to doubling that lead in the 22nd minute but sent a long range drive wide of the back post while Janine Beckie – who had the freedom of the right flank – also tested Anna Moorhouse in the West Ham goal.
Steph Houghton’s 30 yard free kick brought a diving save from Moorhouse while Scott’s looping header was also collected by Moorhouse.
City have been guilty of wasting chances to score in recent months but any nervousness in front of goal was soon dispelled.
Georgia Stanway punishes West Ham with two goals
White ballooned a brilliant Tessa Wullaert cross over the bar with just Moorhouse to beat in the 31st minute but a minute later Stanway hit City’s full deserved second from just inside the box after a lay off by White as a three goal burst in eight minutes put an end to West Ham’s hopes.
Stanway doubled her personal tally, converting Janine Beckie’s right wing cross after 37 minutes.
And Lauren Hemp got on the scoresheet two minutes later, drilling home from the left after Scott laid the ball off to her after her dummy took out several West Ham defenders, to open her account for the season with a goal which Moorhouse got a hand to but couldn’t stop.
Ellie Roebuck had little to save in the first half, with one acrobatic effort from a looping West Ham punt into the box by Adriana Leon which was won by Kate Longhurst
She also saved from Leanne Kiernan with an outstretched leg after a mistake by Beckie early in the second half and dealt with a late effort by Alisha Lehmann.
City were much more effective – they went close twice early in the second half through White, who hit the woodwork after Wullaert had won the ball back from a dawdling West Ham defence.
Wullaert got herself on the scoresheet after Stanway turned provider – drawing Hammers defenders to her before releasing the Belgian for a shot across Moorhouse and inside the post.
City had gone more attacking after the restart, with Demi Stokes replaced by Megan Campbell and Jill Scott getting a rest with Pauline Bremer coming on.
City were reduced to ten players 18 minutes from the end after Stanway was booked twice for two late challenges but the game was long over.
Hemp shot wide while Bremer and White had shots saved by Moorhouse’s outstretched boot as City continued to rip through the Hammers defence.
Wullaert blazed over from Bremer’s square pass, and Bremer was denied by a Moorhouse save in injury time as City continued to press for a sixth until the end.
Wiktoria Kiszkis came on in injury time and hit a shot against the City back post as West Ham remained defiant even in defeat.
GOALS – Manchester City Women 5, West Ham Women 0
Man City Women 1, West Ham Women 0: 11. From Caroline Weir’s corner, Jill Scott’s flicked header was blocked on the line by Gilly Flaherty but the rebound was stabbed home by Ellen White.
Man City Women 2, West Ham Women 0: 32. Georgia Stanway hit City’s second from just inside the box.
Man City Women 3, West Ham Women 0: 37. Georgia Stanway converted Janine Beckie’s cross from the right from 15 yards out.
Man City Women 4, West Ham Women 0: 39. Lauren Hemp got on the scoresheet two minutes later, drilling home from the left after Scott laid the ball off to her.
Man City Women 5, West Ham Women 0: 53. Tessa Wullaert got herself on the scoresheet after Georgia Stanway drew West Ham defenders to her and then slid the unmarked Belgian in for a shot across Anna Moorhouse and inside the post.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City Women 5, West Ham Women 0
Man City Women: Roebuck, Beckie, Houghton, Bonner, Stokes (Campbell 46), Scott (Bremer 62), Weir, Stanway, Wullaert, Hemp (Toland 75), White
Man City Women Subs not used: Benameur, Park, Lee, Fidalgo
Booked: Stanway
Red Card: Stanway 72 (second yellow card)
Goals: White 11; Stanway 32, 37; Hemp 39; Wullaert 53
West Ham Women: Moorhouse, Kvamme, Flaherty, Vetterlein, Baunach, Kiernan (Galabadaarachchi 61), Longhurst, Lehmann, Dali, Middag (Hendrix 65), Leon (Kiszkis 90+2)
West Ham Women Subs not used: Bosnan
Booked: Dali 27 (pulling the shirt of Georgia Stanway)
Referee: Stacey Pearson
Attendance: 2145