RIANNA JARRETT’S second-half strike was enough to earn Brighton a 1-0 win over West Ham in the Women’s Super League.
Jarrett lobbed West Ham keeper Mackenzie Arnold and then followed up to head home in the 69th minute.
Arnold denied Brighton a second minutes later pushing away an Inessa Kaagman shot from Kayleigh Green’s cross.
West Ham squandered a good first-half chance when Martha Thomas’ shot from the edge of the area was hit straight at Brighton keeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand, who had come off her line.
Hammers substitute Kenza Dali had two good long-range second-half efforts saved by Fiskerstrand as Brighton held on to claim their second WSL win of the season.
🙌 Love this, @RiannaJarrett!#BHAFC 🔵 | 0-1 | #FAWSL
— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) November 15, 2020
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Afterwards, Brighton boss Hope Powell praised player-of-the-match Jarrett.
Powell, who was watching via a video connection as she was isolating after a member of backroom staff tested positive for Covid-19, said: “It was a great goal, very composed.
“She obviously saw the threat of the keeper coming off her line, dipped it over and headed it in.
She’s been brought in to score goals, we don’t score enough, so obviously I am delighted.
“I don’t think we played particularly well again, but we were very gutsy and very determined. I’m really pleased with the players that came, but (it’s) not a great game by our standards.”
West Ham dominated and had good chances but could not make the most of them and head coach Matt Beard admitted: “It’s a massive blow.
“We just didn’t take our chances, simple as that. We could have had the game won in the first half.
“We had opportunities in the second half to convert, we didn’t convert for whatever reason.”
