Aston Villa won a fourth successive game on Sunday, beating West Ham United 2-1 at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Goals from Rachel Daly and Jordan Nobbs put Villa in the ascendency before Viviane Asseyi pulled a goal back for the hosts.
Villa saw out the remaining 10 minutes, plus stoppage time, to grind out an important win.
Carla Ward named an unchanged XI for the third successive game.
Possession
60%Shots
10Shots On Target
2Corners
6Fouls
101
0
Cards
2
0
The game got off to a quiet start but Jordan Nobbs did register Villa’s first attempt on goal after 10 minutes.
The England midfielder blazed a volley over the bar after West Ham had cleared a Kenza Dali free-kick.
Nobbs had a similar effort minutes later but once again failed to find the target.
Maz Pacheco was required at the other end, blocking a goal-bound attempt following West Ham’s first meaningful attack.
The first half ebbed and flowed, with both sides looking eager to break the deadlock.
Hannah Hampton was called into action when Viviane Asseyi beared down on the penalty area from the left-hand side.
The West Ham forward sent a shot towards the bottom corner, which Hampton tipped onto the post expertly.
The stopper got straight back up to deny Amalie Thestrup from close range, keeping the score level.
Proceedings lulled slightly as the first 45 minutes wore on, but Villa took the lead out of nothing.
The ball broke for Daly outside the area, and our no. 8 didn’t hesitate in unleashing a rocket into the far corner past a helpless Mackenzie Arnold.
Villa took the one goal lead into the break but continued piling on the pressure after the interval.
Dan Turner sent a fierce volley towards goal following a corner, but West Ham got bodies in the way to divert the attempt over the bar.
Villa went a long way to sealing the win when they doubled their advantage just after the hour mark.
A flowing, team move ended with Kirsty Hanson sending a low cross towards Nobbs at the front post, and Jordan slid home to cue jubilant scenes both on the pitch and in the stands.
West Ham did pull one back ten minutes from time through Asseyi, but Villa held firm to extend their unbeaten run to six games.
West Ham United Women: Arnold, Shimizu, Cissoko, Smith, Fisk, Snerle, Evans (Brynjarsdóttir 45'), Asseyi, Parker, Hayashi (Longhurst 76'), Thestrup (Atkinson 63')
Subs: Filis, Brynjarsdóttir, Cooke, Flannery, Atkinson, Hillyerd, Denton, Longhurst
A Villa Women: Hampton, Corsie, Pacheco, Turner, Mayling, Dali (Littlejohn 82'), Nobbs (Gielnik 69'), Staniforth, Hanson, Daly, Lehmann (Blindkilde 69')
Subs: Littlejohn (Patten 87'), Patten, Blindkilde, Gregory, Gielnik
