Liverpool striker Leanne Kiernan's hat-trick was her first in the Women's Super League
Leanne Kiernan came off the bench to score a hat-trick as Liverpool clinched fourth spot in the Women's Super League with a comfortable victory over Leicester City.
Sophie Roman Haug put the Reds ahead early on when she planted a header from Taylor Hinds' cross beyond Janina Leitzig.
Kiernan, a 65th-minute substitute, added a second after the break at King Power Stadium with a glancing header from Ceri Holland's delivery.
The Republic of Ireland striker notched her second with a powerful finish on the counter-attack which Leitzig was unable to keep out.
Kiernan completed her treble in added time with a rampaging run forward before striking the ball low into the corner of the net.
Julie Thibaud and Sophie Howard had Leicester's only real chances of note on what was an otherwise quiet afternoon for Reds goalkeeper Rachael Laws.
Liverpool end the season on 41 points - 14 behind champions Chelsea - while Leicester finish the campaign in 12th with 18 points.
The defeat means Leicester interim boss Jennifer Foster failed to win any of her five games in charge.
Promising signs for Reds next season
Liverpool have not won the WSL since back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
That came during Matt Beard's first stint in charge of the Reds from 2012 to 2015.
Having returned to the club in May 2021, and guided them back to the top flight, there is a sense of momentum building under Beard.
Liverpool were dominant in this victory on the final day with plenty of encouraging signs for next season.
Beard's side chalked up a first WSL double over Leicester and made it three clean sheets on the road in the competition for the first time.
Liverpool finished well adrift of Chelsea but have shown enough to suggest they could enter the title conversation next season.
They perhaps need more firepower after scoring 36 goals this season - Roman Haug's tally of seven the 12th best in the WSL - though Kiernan showed what they have been missing after her injury-hit campaign.
