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These Ladies have ‘six’ appeal

Anything you can do, we can do better, whistled Chelsea Ladies while demolishing Bristol City 6-0 at Kingsmeadow… the day after the boys beat Stoke 4-0 away. Hard to say which is more impressive; the Ladies breezing to glory without six of their strongest players, or the men making it look easy at the daunting

Anything you can do, we can do better, whistled Chelsea Ladies while demolishing Bristol City 6-0 at Kingsmeadow… the day after the boys beat Stoke 4-0 away.

Hard to say which is more impressive; the Ladies breezing to glory without six of their strongest players, or the men making it look easy at the daunting Britannia.

It ended a turbulent week for English women’s football, with the national women’s team’s coach being dismissed.

Chelsea Ladies manager Emma Hayes deftly deflected press inquiries about becoming Mark Sampson’s successor (“I’m looking forward to my future with Chelsea Football Club”) before applauding a “superb performance” from a team which included two debutantes.

One, Swedish defender Magdalena Eriksson, pictured, nodded home from a corner at the near post, which should have been guarded by her opposite number.

Maren Mjelde netted two, while the summer addition of lofty Norwegian defender Maria Thorisdottir means there’s a fresh Scandinavian feel to the team.

The scoring had been opened by lightning-fast mini powerhouse Drew Spence in the 13th minute, flinging herself forward to head home Karen Carney’s cross.

After ref Jack Packman had blown the final whistle on the comprehensive victory, Eriksson told The Good Life: “It’s a nice big pitch, which suits our style. As a debut, it was amazing; we’re in good shape.”

She praised the pitch quality and said that all the newcomers to the team were working hard to improve the way they slotted in to the squad. “Some of the relations [on the pitch] can be better,” she conceded. “But it was a good debut, and of course I’m happy. We have good players on the bench – and a few in the stands who are injured – so we’ve got a strong squad.”

Emma Hayes added: “It’s been a wonderful day at the new stadium; this was all about us kicking on after winning the Spring Series.”

Chelsea Ladies have an eye-catching clash with Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League at Kingsmeadow next Wednesday. Yes, Chelsea v Bayern for £6.

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