WSL 1: Bristol Academy Ladies 0-4 Chelsea Ladies

Spence scored twice for Chelsea, who go top of WSL 1 with the victory.

Chelsea Ladies blew Bristol Academy away inside the first half to continue their perfect start to the WSL 1 season with a 4-0 victory.

Eniola Aluko's cross fell to Ji So-Yun, who nudged Chelsea ahead, and Drew Spence headed in a Ana Borges cross.

Gemma Davison showed strength to hold off the Bristol defence and shoot home to establish a 3-0 half-time lead.

Nikki Watts headed wide Bristol's best effort, and Chelsea were comfortable before Spence fired in a late fourth.

Defeat adds to Bristol's disappointing run, following their exits from the FA Cup and Champions League.

The visitors beat Notts County in their first game, and Thursday's win takes them top of the division after two games.

Bristol Academy manager Dave Edmondson:

"Being the underdog is not an excuse. We paid the price for a poor spell in the first half when we conceded three goals, and that's not good enough. This season we are going to need all of our players to be right on top of their game for 90 minutes, but we had some who switched off for a spell.

"We sat off too deep and showed Chelsea too much respect which cost us three goals. At half-time we talked about the need to get on the front foot as we were dropping back too much, and I think we did that in the second half and made things harder for Chelsea.

"We aren't going to create 15 chances in any game this season, so the ones we do create need to be better."

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes:

"Drew is playing higher up the pitch this season and she should have had a hat-trick. It has taken her a while to get her Chelsea career going, but I think the rest of the league is starting to see we have a player with unbelievable qualities.

"I was happy with the result and the clean sheet, although Bristol made it harder for us in the second half.

"People expect us to be up there and challenging and so do I. We enjoy the pressure of being in that position."

Bristol Academy: Earps; Dykes, McCatty, Matthews, Townsend; James, Ladd, Evans, Ingle; Watts (Bird), Murray (Lawrence).

Subs not used: Dalton, Fantom-Brown, Passariello, Hurst, Evans.

Bookings: McCatty

Chelsea: Lindahl; Borges, Fahey, Bright, Rafferty; Aluko (Flaherty), Chapman, Ji So-Yun (Coombs), Davison; Banusic (Groenen), Spence.

Subs not used: Blundell, Meiwald, Farrow, Hourihan.

Attendance: 645

Referee: Savaas Yianni