Aston Villa have won their past four league matches
Aston Villa extended their winning streak to four matches after coming from behind to beat West Ham 3-2 in the Women's Super League.
The two sides exchanged four goals in an action-packed first half before Chasity Grant scored what would prove to be the winner in the 54th minute.
Aston Villa remain ninth in the table but now sit just two points behind fifth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.
Ebony Salmon opened the scoring for Natalia Arroyo's side inside five minutes, coolly sliding the ball across the goal and into the bottom corner after being picked out by Rachel Daly on the right side of the box.
Shekiera Martinez drew the home side level with a glancing header from Verena Hanshaw's cross - her 10th league goal of the season - before Riko Ueki put them ahead, flicking the ball over the head of goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo and tapping in from close range.
But their lead lasted just three minutes, with Daly latching on to captain Katrina Gorry's misplaced backpass and slotting the ball beyond stranded goalkeeper Kinga Szemik.
Aston Villa took the lead shortly after the break, Grant chasing a pass over the top from Lucy Parker and drilling the ball into the bottom corner. Although West Ham pressed for an equaliser, the visitors held firm.
This defeat ended West Ham's five-match unbeaten streak but Rehanne Skinner's side remain seventh in the table.
Villa topple West Ham's home fortress
Rachel Daly was involved in two of Aston Villa's three goals
Dagenham has been something of a fortress for West Ham this season.
Prior to this round of fixtures, 18 of their 21 points had come on home soil and they were unbeaten in five home matches. Champions Chelsea and second-placed Arsenal were the only sides to capture three points at the ground.
West Ham had also only lost once when Martinez was on the scoresheet, so when the German forward headed home in the 18th minute, home spirits were high.
However, these records meant nothing to Aston Villa, who hadn't lost any of their previous WSL trips to West Ham (two wins and two draws), and for the second time in as many meetings in the south they came out on top with a 3-2 win.
The result means Aston Villa have now won four matches in a row for the first time since March 2023, scoring 13 goals in the process.
Their three goals on Sunday came from three different players, while Parker popped up with an assist. Nine players have been involved in goals in their past four matches.
And while they conceded two goals for the third match in a row, for manager Arroyo -who lost her first six matches in charge - this latest win represents another step in the right direction.
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