Kerr and Kirby combine to lift Conti Cup

It was the Special K show at Vicarage Road as England striker Fran Kirby and Australian captain Sam Kerr combined to dismantle Bristol City by six goals to nil.

The gulf between Bristol City and Chelsea could be seen among the substitutes on Sunday afternoon. While City had 17-year-old goalkeeper Mia Smith called up to the matchday squad due to Benedicte Håland falling ill, Chelsea did not even need the services of their world record signing Pernille Harder.

That Bristol City had even got to this Continental Cup final was remarkable after the league season which they have had, and their task now is purely Super League survival.

City are just one point above the relegation position and it is the job of caretaker manager Matt Beard to keep them in the top flight.

After the Robins conceded after just 90 seconds, it was always going to be a tall order against the might of Chelsea, who lifted the Conti Cup for the first time and also still have hopes in the WSL and Champions League.

Kirby and Kerr were both substituted after 60 minutes when the score was already 6-0, and it heralded somewhat of a fightback for City but it was never going to be enough.

The Robins conceded their first goal after just 90 seconds, with Kerr tapping in after a cross from Kirby. With not yet ten minutes on the clock, Kerr was backflipping in celebration as she scored her second, with Kirby once again the provider after City failed to clear their lines.

It was Kirby’s turn to score Chelsea’s third after being gifted the ball by City goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley under pressure from Kerr. Kirby got her brace soon after the half-hour mark, played in by Kerr around Jemma Purfield and past the despairing dive of Baggaley.

City started the second half brightly but after a corner – their first of the game – and two rare shots for the Robins, Chelsea took the ball the length of the pitch for Kerr to get her hattrick, making it 5-0 after she was selflessly played in by Kirby.

Kirby turned provider for Chelsea’s sixth from Guro Reiten. The Blues’ day was marred, however, with a serious injury to Maren Mjelde, who left the field on a stretcher taking oxygen after badly twisting her knee.

Ebony Salmon, who recently got her first England cap against Northern Ireland, provided the best of City’s attacking promise.

Salmon was denied a goal by a good save from Ann-Katrin Berger after weaving down the left wing, and Berger made another reflex save from the resulting corner after Kiera Skeels sent a shot goalbound with an outstretched leg.

When Kerr and Kirby were both substituted, the match noticeably changed but City still could not find the net and after this brief Conti Cup final cameo, their thoughts must now turn back to WSL survival.

Main photo: Chelsea FC

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