Fran Kirby’s first-half hat-trick set Chelsea up for a comfortable 5-0 win at Reading which put them second in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.
In the only WSL game to go ahead this weekend, the Blues took just five minutes to score, a long ball found its way thr0ugh to Kirby, who advanced into the box and rounded keeper Grace Moloney before finishing.
Moments after Kirby smacked a drive against the far post she doubled her tally for the day, then completed her treble with the last touch of the half, perfectly directing home a header when Sam Kerr pulled the ball back from Erin Cuthbert’s free-kick.
Less then ten minutes after the restart, Kirby made it four against her former side with another fine header, this time from Guro Reiten’s corner.
Ji So-yun came off the bench to curl an effort inches wide but seconds later fired home the visitors’ fifth.
The result lifted Chelsea above Arsenal and put them within three points of leaders Manchester United, over whom they have a game in hand.
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