West Ham United women’s team came from behind to start their Continental Tyres League Cup campaign with a victory, beating Charlton Athletic 2-1 at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Carla Humphrey opened the scoring on 20 minutes, squeezing the ball beyond Megan Walsh to give the Addicks an early lead.
The Hammers rallied in the second half, with Emma Harries notching her first goal in Claret and Blue just before the hour mark when she stabbed the ball home.
In wet and windy conditions, the Hammers found a way to come out with the points and make a winning start to Group E, as Izzy Atkinson unleashed a superb strike after driving into space to put them ahead.
Rehanne Skinner made four changes to the side that beat Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, with Princess Ademiluyi and Harries coming into the team to make their first starts for the Club. Keira Flannery also started, whilst Walsh was between the posts, making her debut for the Club in the process.
Both sides traded possession in the opening ten minutes as they looked to establish control in the slippery condition in east London.
Harries was in the wars during the opening 20 minutes and received treatment after a heavy challenge involving Mia Ross. She was eventually back on her feet to watch Charlton almost score the game’s opening goal, as Frida Ayisi’s strike hit the woodwork from close range.
Moments later however, the South Londoners went ahead. Carla Humphrey was on hand to convert the ball beyond Walsh on 20 minutes and open the scoring.
Skinner’s side looked for a response, and they almost had it when Mel Filis intercepted a loose pass, but her shot went straight down the throat of Charlton goalkeeper Sian Rogers.
Ayisi had the ball in the back of the net after Charlton continued to look to to cut through the West Ham defence, however, the goal was ruled out for offside.
The Hammers then had a chance of their own, with Harries skipping beyond her marking and sliding in Ademiluyi. Her low, driven cross was aimed towards Asseyi, but Beth Roe was able to step in front and clear the ball away.
Harries was then the target on an Anouk Denton cross, which flicked up off the boot of a defender and looked to be destined for the head of Harries, but a player in white managed to steer the ball away.
There was no way through in the first half, and the Irons continued in the search for an equaliser early in the second half.
Ademiluyi was causing issue for her opposite number, Sophie O’Rourke for most of the evening, and after having breezed past her, her driven cross almost found the feet of Harries, but the ball was cleared away.
Harries had been a constant threat throughout the game, and the pressure from the home side finally told. The ball bounced around in the penalty area and the No12 was the first to pounce, notching her first West Ham United goal.
The 21-year-old forward could have made it two 15 minutes later after being played in behind by a long-range arrow from Cooke, but Harries couldn’t steady herself and swiped her shot over the bar.
The perseverance from the Hammers eventually saw them take the lead, with Izzy Atkinson diving into space on the left before unleashing a powerful strike that beat Rogers at her near post.
The away side would have levelled the game in the closing stages had it not been for Megan Walsh, who pushed a powerful effort from Kiera Skeels up into the air before gratefully collecting at the second attempt.
There was a scary moment for Skinner's side in added time, as a wayward pass from Abbey-Leigh Stringer almost gifted Karin Muya the equaliser. Walsh was able to scamper across and close down the angle.
Charlton had another chance before the whistle was blown, but a brilliant block from Hawa Cissoko prevented Tegan McGowan's strike from hitting the back of the net.
Lauren Impey blew time on the contest moments later, with Skinner's side picking up three points in their opening Conti Cup fixture.
West Ham United: Walsh, Smith (Atkinson 46), Shimizu, Cissoko ©, Cooke, Denton, Flannery, Filis (Stringer 53), Asseyi (Evans 53), Ademiluyi (Ueki 63), Harries
Subs not used: Arnold (GK), Tysiak
Goals: Harries 57, Atkinson 78
Charlton Athletic: Rogers, Ross, Johnson (McGowan 79), Humphrey (Bashford 25), Ayisi, Longhurst ©, F. Godfrey (Addison 58), Roche (Muya 58), O’Rourke, Roe, H. Godfrey (Skeels 58)
Unused Subs: Grey (GK), Green, Bell
Goal: Humphrey 20
Booked: Muya 77
Referee: Lauren Impey
