Women's Super League: Leicester City 3-0 West Ham United - Foxes boost survival bid
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WSL highlights: Leicester 3-0 West Ham
Leicester City boss Lydia Bedford says the Foxes are playing with "belief" and "confidence" after sweeping aside West Ham to give their hopes of Women's Super League survival a boost.
Early Natasha Flint and Ashleigh Plumptre goals put Leicester in control, with Freya Gregory sealing victory after the break.
The win moved them two places and eight points clear of the relegation spot.
"They put their bodies on the line and it shows in the results," said Bedford.
Having looked set for a relegation tussle with Birmingham just a few weeks ago, Leicester - who began the WSL season with nine straight defeats after promotion from the Championship - have now won four of their past seven games. It moved them comfortably clear of Blues at the bottom of the table.
When Bedford replaced Jonathan Morgan as Foxes boss in November, Leicester were yet to pick up their first-ever WSL point.
"Credit to them (the players)," Bedford said. "It's difficult when a new manager walks through the door.
"Every week they give me 110%, they put the work in and they believe in what we are asking them to do. There is definite confidence."
Foxes strike early to set up win
The Foxes' first goal against West Ham owed something to fortune but plenty to Flint's pace and persistence as she chased a long ball over the top and charged down goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold's clearance for a freak second-minute opener.
Plumptre then guided a header into the far corner from Gemma Purfield's free-kick to put Leicester well on their way to a third win in four home league matches under Lydia Bedford.
West Ham made a double substitution at half-time but Gregory put the game beyond reach, arriving at the far post to tap in O'Brien's low centre.
Katerina Svitkova had chances to reduce the deficit but Leicester keeper Demi Lambourne twice saved from the Czech midfielder, while only a heavy touch from a clean-through Flint denied City a fourth late on.