It was a day to forget for Matt Beard's team as they were thumped 5-0 at the Academy Stadium by Manchester City in their latest Women's Super League outing.
And City, who were dominant throughout could even afford to end the game with just ten players after England forward Georgia Stanway was sent off for two bookable offences in what was her 100th appearance for the title chasers.The Mancunians, who are now just one point behind league leaders Arsenal were simply too good for the Hammers, who succumbed to a 3-0 defeat in the FA Cup Final against the same opposition at Wembley back in May.
Ellen White opened the scoring for the Citizens with just 11 minutes on the clock after Gilly Flaherty had initially cleared a Jill Scott header off the line. Stanway then added a second for the hosts shortly after - before making it 3-0 six minutes later.
City added a fourth goal before half time through Lauren Hemp before Tessa Wullaert completed the rout with a fifth goal just eight minutes into the second half.
Stanway, who grabbed a brace and an assist to boot was dismissed 18 minutes from the end of full time to leave City with just ten players for the remainder of the game - but by that point, the damage had been well and truly done.
"We can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing," said a disappointed Beard after the game. "We can’t keep having good periods for ten minutes and then poor periods for 10-15 minutes. We’ve got to get some consistency in our game.
"If you give Manchester City respect and time then they are going to punish you. If we don’t stick to the bare principles of the game plan, then you’re going to get beat and punished."
The defeat - a fourth in six outings so far this season - leaves West Ham 8th in the 12-team WSL table, five points clear of current bottom side Liverpool who are yet to win a game yet this season.
West Ham Utd: Moorhouse, Redisch Kvamme, Flaherty (c), Vetterlein, Baunach, Middag (Hendrix 65), Longhurst, Dali, Lehmann, Leon (Kiszkis 90), Kiernan (Galabadaarachchi 61).
Subs not used: Brosnan.
Manchester City: Roebuck, Beckie, Houghton (c), Bonner, Stokes (Campbell 46), Scott (Bremer 62), Weir, Wullaert, Stanway, Hemp (Toland 75), White.
Subs not used: Benameur, Park, Geum-Min, Fidalgo.
Goals: White (11), Stanway (32, 37), Hemp (39), Wullaert (53).
Sent off: Stanway (72).
Referee: Stacey Pearson.
Attendance: 2,179.
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