Manaka Matsukubo scored a hat-trick and Lola Brown added two goals as Chelsea Women's Under-18s opened their PGA National League Division 1 campaign with a 5-1 win over Tottenham at Cobham. The Chelsea side competes in the PGA Under-21 Women's League.
Spurs needed only 15 seconds to take the lead. Chelsea failed to clear a long ball and Nife Aramide collected possession near the penalty area before finding the bottom corner.
Chelsea turn the game around
Matsukubo equalised in the eighth minute after Keira Johnson regained possession and supplied a through ball. Brown then finished a counter-attack in the 28th minute, exchanging passes with Matsukubo before cutting onto her left foot and scoring at the near post.
Brown made it 3-1 shortly before the interval. Her pressure on a Tottenham goal-kick produced an interception and a finish into an almost unguarded net.
A hat-trick after the break
Leanne Champ made three substitutions at half-time. Matsukubo added Chelsea's fourth in the 63rd minute after combining with Rebekah Pierce on the left, beating three defenders and bending her shot into the far corner.
Seven minutes later, she controlled a headed clearance on her chest, lifted the ball beyond an approaching defender and struck a left-footed volley to complete her treble.
Brown, Nelly Las, Chloe Sarwie and Matsukubo were among the first-team players involved. Chelsea finished the opening match in second place, behind the leaders on goal difference. Their next scheduled fixture is an away Women's National League Cup tie against Oxford United Women on 1 November.