WSL 1: Chelsea Ladies 4-1 Bristol Academy

Gilly Flaherty played at left-back instead of her normal central defensive role for Chelsea

Chelsea Ladies proved too strong for Bristol Academy as they remained top of Women's Super League One.

First-half goals from Gilly Flaherty and Gemma Davison put the unbeaten home side in command.

Bristol debutant Jade Boho-Sayo pulled one back after the break before Ji So-Yun restored the Blues' two-goal lead from the penalty spot.

Millie Farrow added a fourth late on as Chelsea won comfortably in front of a lively post-World Cup crowd of 1,233.

Record signing Fran Kirby was not included following her midweek move from Reading.

However, defender Flaherty's close-range finish soon gave Chelsea the lead after a Drew Spence cross was not fully cleared, before Davison skipped past two defenders and calmly added a brilliant second.

Boho-Sayo, one of seven players to sign for Bristol Academy on Thursday, was denied by Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl in the first half, but slotted home after the break to give the winless visitors hope.

But when Frankie Brown fouled South Korea's Ji in the box at the other end, the Chelsea forward stepped up herself to make it 3-1.

Farrow fired the clincher for Chelsea after earlier being denied brilliantly by a fingertip save from Bristol's Mary Earps, as they made it five league wins out of seven so far this season.

Chelsea Ladies: Lindahl, Blundell, Bright, Flaherty, Fahey, Davison, Aluko, Borges, Coombs, Banusic, Spence.

Substitutes: Hourihan, So-Yun, Rafferty, Chapman, Meiwald, Rafferty, Farrow.

Bristol Academy: Earps, Dykes, Weir, Lawrence, Ladd, Murray, Boho-Sayo, Ingle, James, Brown, Short.

Substitutes: Reid, Townsend, Popadinova, Passareillo, Pinto, Evans, Jones.

Referee: John Pike.

Attendance: 1,233