James double helps WSL leaders Chelsea beat Brighton

Defending champions Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Women’s Super League table with a comfortable victory at Brighton.

Victory takes them six points clear of rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, who both play away on Sunday.

James is now the WSL’s joint-top scorer with 12 goals in 11 matches.

Chelsea missed several chances in the first half before England forward James put them ahead within a minute of the restart with a thumping first-time strike from Niamh Charles’ cross.

She then pounced on a poor headed clearance to fire in her second, after Kirby poked in from a corner that had been flicked on by Melanie Leupolz.

“Certainly nobody is teaching [James] that,” said Chelsea manager Emma Hayes. “What she has, not one of us can teach her that gift.

“She’s decisive in the box and proved that again today in the right moment, at the right time.”

Brighton fans were encouraged at half-time, applauding their team off following a strong defensive display but Chelsea’s quality eventually burst through on an evening when British-record signing Mayra Ramirez came on for her debut.

• Reaction to Saturday’s WSL action

Chelsea turn on the quality in second half

Brighton started well in Crawley, putting Chelsea under pressure as they played out from the back, but rode their luck a little to keep the champions at bay in the opening 45 minutes.

Chelsea’s intensity increased in the second half and they capitalised on lapses in concentration, ruthlessly putting the game to bed before an hour had been played.

“We were in control [in the first half] but just lacked a bit of urgency,” said Hayes.

“We created a couple of good chances. We did enough to be in the lead while under control, without going up a gear. That’s what I said to the players at half-time – to respect these WSL games. I didn’t expect it within 53 seconds.

“I really enjoyed today. It was controlled. It looked like things we work on all the time. I thought it was a confident performance.”

It was another demonstration of Chelsea’s ability to manage games and go up a gear when needed, while Brighton, despite moments of encouragement, rarely troubled them.

Chelsea’s Guro Reiten was involved in plenty of the action, having a first-half effort tipped on to the crossbar by Sophie Baggaley, who later denied her from close range.

Reiten also poked a cutback from Kirby wide, before Kirby skewed a decent effort over the bar.

Brighton’s Pauline Bremer almost scored from a cross which struck the crossbar in the second half, but there were few chances for the hosts on a comfortable evening for Chelsea, who gave Ramirez a taste of the WSL after receiving a late international visa clearance.

“It was a disappointing result but a really positive performance if you take that 15-minute spell out,” said Brighton manager Melissa Phillips.

“We were very organised and resilient in the first half with the way we defended. Lauren James is world class and performing at the top of her game right now.

“You kind of just dip your hat to her. She just opened the game up for them. At the end of the day, when you concede in the first couple of minutes [of the second half], you will find it difficult.”