Disappointing afternoon for Spurs Women at West Ham

A below-par performance consigned Spurs Women to a 1-0 loss to West Ham on Sunday at the Chigwell Construction Stadium in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.

The result was overshadowed by an injury to Kit Graham in the first half, as Dagny Brynjarsdottir slotted home the only goal of the game in the 69th minute.

Rehanne Skinner made five changes from the side that beat Watford 11-0 in the Conti Cup in midweek. Maeva Clemaron captained the side in the absence of Shelina Zadorksy while Ria Percival, Rachel Williams, Kyah Simon and Ashleigh Neville all returned to the starting line-up as well.

Simon had our first chance of the game after Percival cut the ball back after winning it high up the pitch, but the forward fired over. Percival then tried her luck from distance but her powerful effort was always rising above the goal.  

After a collision with Kate Longhurst, Graham was stretchered off in the 30th minute. We wish her a speedy recovery.

With the first half short on chances, Williams almost found the top corner from a Percival corner, but her header narrowly missed the target. 

We had the ball in the net shortly after the break, but substitute Chioma Ubogagu was adjudged to have been offside. West Ham's Tameka Yallop had a great chance in the 65th minute with a fierce volley, but it flew just wide of the post.

The hosts managed to break the deadlock moments after as we failed to get bodies in the way of Brynjarsdottir who tucked the ball in to make it 1-0. Ubogagu subsequently had the ball in the net once again after a long Molly Bartrip free-kick dropped to her feet - her effort was finished coolly but once more the flag was raised for offside.

A direct free-kick from the edge of the area was fired into the wall by Ubogagu before Williams came closest to levelling the scores, but her powerful effort which looked destined for the back of the net was saved spectacularly by Mackenzie Arnold. 

As the clock ticked into four minutes of added time we continued to threaten as Neville tried her luck from range twice, but both times Arnold was equal to it. The result means we remain fourth in the WSL going into the international break. Our next league game is away at Aston Villa on Sunday 12 December.

Match data

Goal: West Ham - Brynjarsdottir 69.

Yellow cards: West Ham - Longhurst 88; Spurs - Graham 17, Simon 70, Percival 76, Ayane 81.

Referee: Lisa Benn.

Venue: Chigwell Construction Stadium.

Weather: Windy, seven degrees.