Chelsea ensured they will top the WSL over the Christmas break after surviving a Reading fightback to win a five-goal thriller 3-2 at snowy Kingsmeadow.
Goals from ex-Royal Fran Kirby and a Jelena Cankovic double put the league champions in control. But as conditions worsened after half-time Reading hit back with two goals in two minutes through Sanne Troelsgaard and Amalie Eikeland, nearly snatching an unlikely point.
The Blues were able to reopen a three-point lead on London rivals Arsenal at the top of the WSL, although they were given a huge slice of luck with their opener. A quickly taken free-kick set Johanna Rytting Kaneryd clear in the box, although replays later showed she was offside.
She squared for Kirby to finish easily and calm nerves around Kingsmeadow after a nervy start. Cankovic then scored her first WSL goals with a quickfire brace to put Emma Hayes’ side firmly in control.
But Reading played with a positive approach throughout and showed why they had beaten Tottenham last weekend. The visitors grit was rewarded when they scored twice in a matter of seconds to set up a thrilling finale.
The pitch became difficult to predict, with the ball refusing to run smoothly as the snow continued to fall. But Chelsea remained calm and saw out the final half an hour to pick up a big win.
The Blues came into the game knowing they could widen the gap between themselves and both Manchester clubs who drew 1-1 at lunchtime, as well as move clear of Arsenal who won at Aston Villa. And at a wintery Kingsmeadow the hosts nearly had the lead inside three minutes when Cankovic’s effort was cleared off the line by Justine Vanhaevermaet, with Jacqueline Burns stranded.
At the other end, the Blues survived a penalty appeal when Emma Harries went down under an awkward challenge from Erin Cuthbert. Bethany England was restored to the Chelsea starting line-up and looked particularly lively as the defending champions looked for an early breakthrough.
And they got it when a quickly taken free-kick gave Rytting Kaneryd the chance to square for Kirby, her eighth goal against her former club. The Swede looked suspiciously offside when the kick was taken but officials let the goal stand despite strong protests from the visitors’ bench.
The Royals were very nearly level moments later when Amalie Eikeland forced an excellent save from Ann-Katrin Berger. But Chelsea looked dangerous whenever going forward and had a second when Cankovic reacted quickly after Rytting Kaneryd’s initial effort hit the post.
Serbia’s Cankovic was on top of her game all night and had her second only four minutes later. After superb work from Cuthbert and Kirby down the right channel, the Scot provided the perfect cross that Cankovic headed home from close range.
That meant the result was all but sealed before the break, although both sides continued to try and play football, despite conditions making it tricky. Cankovic should have completed her hat-trick after the break but somehow dragged her left-footed effort wide with the Reading defence asleep.
And they were almost made to pay when Reading hit back with a quickfire double. First Sanne Troelsgaard’s shot squirmed under Berger.
Then only seconds later Royals’ forward Amalie Eikeland found space in the penalty area to slide home and stun Kingsmeadow. Suddenly a rejuvenated Reading looked more than capable of snatching a point.
As the game headed towards a tense finish a Chelsea counter-attack, that ended with Mille Bright flying down the right-wing, nearly restored breathing space but Kirby couldn't get on the end of her cross. Thankfully for the Blues it didn't cost them, with the full-time whistle confirming their ninth WSL win in-a-row.
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