West Ham United won 2-1 away to Aston Villa in the Barclays Women’s Super League despite a late red card for the Hammers.
They took only a couple of minutes to go in front, Kirsty Smith’s turned in by Dagny Brynjarsdottir.
Honoka Hayashi doubled the lead from close range inside the first quarter of an hour, Villa threatened a goal back but the nearest they got in the first half was Anna Patten’s header against the post with the last touch before the break.
Mackenzie Arnold saved a strike from Kirsty Hanson and Patten failed to direct a close-range header past the keeper, before Villa were awarded a penalty for handball against Kate Longhurst but Arnold pushed away Alisha Lehmann’s spot-kick.
With 14 minutes to go the hosts did get back into the game, Kenza Dali picking out the top corner from inside the box.
The Hammers were down to ten in stoppage-time after Hawa Cissoko reacted to a Sarah Mayling foul and was shown the red card, along with two of West Ham’s coaching team including manager Paul Konchesky.
Despite eleven minutes added on, West Ham held out for the win to go level on points with Villa.
