West Ham United Ladies 4-1 Cardiff City Ladies
West Ham United Ladies went three points clear at the top of the FA Tesco Women's Premier League South after Gemma Shepherd's hat-trick helped them on their way to a 4-1 over Cardiff City at Thurrrock.
With her treble, Shepherd has now four goals in the League after her first strike in the Hammers' victory against Portsmouth last month. Just before half-time, the former England under-23 international Emma Thomas scored the second goal for the Hammers. With ten minutes to go, and with West Ham winning 4-0, Cardiff scored a late consolation.
The opening goal came just before the half hour when Shepherd hit a looping shot from 25 yards out that beat Cardiff keeper Rhian Nokes and crept in just under the bar.
After the goal West Ham settled into a more relaxed and controlling manner and began to dictate the game. Carly Roache and Clare Rogers both had chances before the break and, with just seconds remaining in the first half, Thomas broke away down the left flank fighting off her marker before turning into the box and firing a super strike into the far corner of the net.
In the second half the Hammers were in full control and on 53 minutes Shepherd added to her tally and put the Hammers three up after Thomas drove into the box and under a challenge the ball fell to Shepherd who volleyed home from close range. Shepherd then completed her hat-trick in the 62nd minute latching on to Roache's inch perfect pass through the Cardiff defence and calmly side footing the ball past the advancing keeper.
Cardiff gained a consolation goal in the 80th minute when the West Ham defence twice failed to clear from a corner but the final whistle signalled the three points that put the Ladies back on top of the Premier League South. The final whistle also brought news that results elsewhere of League Cup matches postponed from the previous week had guaranteed the sides passage from their qualification group into the knockout stages of the FA Women's Premier League Cup.
Next up for the side in the league are Yeovil Town who visit Ship Lane next Sunday, kick-off 2pm.