Chelsea Ladies 3 Sunderland Ladies 1

Revenge was sweet for Chelsea as they erased last season’s shock FA Cup semi-final defeat to Sunderland with victory over the Wearsiders at Imber Court on Sunday.

Substitute Stef Curtis got the ball rolling with a 66th-minute strike for the Blues, before Danni Buet added a second direct from a corner.

Sara Kempson also came off the bench to net a third with four minutes remaining, with Kelly McDougall’s stoppage-time header proving mere consolation for the Lady Black Cats.

The result means the Blues are up to the fourth in the table with a 100 per cent record and are now just four points behind leaders Millwall with five games in hand.

‘We can definitely improve,” said boss Pete Steward. “When we keep the ball on the floor, the quality shows through.

"But the points are in the bag and the squad’s getting stronger and more experienced.

“Second half, we played some really good football.”

There was scant goalmouth action from either side to warm the crowd in a lacklustre first half.

The visitors’ Lucy Staniforth blasted a 25-yard free-kick well over Siobhan Chamberlain’s bar, before Lianne Sanderson headed wide from a good position at the other end.

Claire Rafferty tried her luck minutes later with a shot that flew straight into the arms of Sunderland keeper Rachel Laws, while Dunia Susi wasted a good opportunity after the away side was caught in possession.

In the absence of regular skipper Casey Stoney, Sanderson showed her leadership qualities after battling through three Sunderland challenges but the England star was unable to lift the final ball over the sprawling Laws.

And it was the Wearsiders who almost snatched a half-time lead in the dying minutes.

Chamberlain spilled Staniforth’s free-kick and, as Gemma Wilson prepared to fire home, Kylie Davis slid in with a goal-saving tackle.

With the game still goalless and approaching the midway point in the second period, Steward sent on Curtis for Emma Whitter, and the sub broke the deadlock within five minutes.

The ex-Bristol Academy player had previously dragged a shot wide of Laws’s goal after Sanderson set her up but, when she controlled the ball on the edge of the box a minute later, she swivelled and rifled a left foot shot that left the Sunderland keeper helpless.

As Sunderland looked for a way back, the lively Staniforth and McDougall both failed to test Chamberlain with half chances before Buet grabbed the crucial second in unlikely fashion with seven minutes remaining.

The Chelsea number eight had already showed her intention with a thumping drive but, when Laws misjudged her inswinging corner, the ball drifted over the line, despite McDougall’s desperate last-ditch attempt to clear. Chelsea wrapped up the match with the goal of the game in the 86th minute.

Sanderson’s clever ball sent Buet away and, after outpacing the Sunderland defence, her precise pass was clinically put away by the unmarked Kempson.

Curtis thought she had added a fourth late on with a close-range header but was denied by a contentious offside flag, before Laws did well to push a powerful Sanderson drive past the post.

McDougall gave the Wearsiders something to celebrate when she headed home Staniforth’s free-kick in stoppage time, but Chelsea were good value for the three points as they continue their rise up the Premier League.

Chelsea: Chamberlain, Perry, Rafferty (Jane 82), Davies, Susi (Kempson 80), Buet, Sanderson, Pond, Whitter (Curtis 61), Goodall, Champ

Subs not used: Hills, Cooper.