WSL: Manchester City Women 7-1 West Ham United Women
- Published
Highlights: Man City Women put seven past West Ham
Nikita Parris and Georgia Stanway both scored twice as Manchester City crushed West Ham at the Academy Stadium.
Caroline Weir volleyed the home side ahead before England forward Parris beat Becky Spencer with a back-header.
She then rounded Spencer to net her second, before Brianna Visalli almost pulled one back when she hit the post.
Stanway's double came either side of a Steph Houghton header, and Tessa Wullaert rounded things off after Esmee de Graaf's consolation strike.
Third-placed City went into the game without seven players because of injuries and international calls, and were not at their best either side of the break after establishing their early three-goal cushion.
But they reasserted themselves with four goals in the final 20 minutes, the last an unfortunate error by Spencer, who fumbled Wullaert's shot into her own net.
Despite the scoreline, there were positive signs for Women's Super League newcomers West Ham.
Julia Simic wasted a good chance in the first half, and Jane Ross was twice denied against her old club by Ellie Roebuck before City's 19-year-old keeper was finally beaten by De Graaf's angled finish.
'What a goal!' - Weir screamer puts Man City ahead
Manchester City forward Nikita Parris:
"Clinical is what we need to be, especially in this league. When you get opportunities, you have to take them because it can be a difficult game if you don't.
"We were the top scorers in the league last season, maybe there's a perception we don't score enough but we were clinical today.
"I was a raw talent growing up but didn't necessarily perfect that but I'm getting the goals now and hopefully that can continue.
"It's a massive win because this league it can come down to one point or even goal difference."
West Ham head coach Matt Beard:
"First and foremost, we didn't stick to what we worked on during the week. We worked on that all week and we didn't do it in the first half.
"Periods of the game we did it, we stopped them and had some great chances but we can't keep giving away goals like we did today.
"It's frustrating but it's a learning curve for some of the players new to this league but if you give the ball away and make silly mistakes you'll get punished.
"We have to tidy up on that part of the game but we can take some positives from the chances we created."