West Ham United women’s team fell to a narrow opening-day defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, as a late Bethany England penalty gave the hosts a 1-0 win at BetWright Stadium. Rehanne Skinner’s side limited their opponents to few chances before the deadlock was broken on 86 minutes, with Spurs not registering a shot on target until their captain scored from the spot, up against Megan Walsh, who replaced the injured Kinga Szemik in the West Ham goal in the second half.

An overall positive display from the Hammers saw their best chance fall to Seraina Piubel, but the Switzerland international was unable to convert Viviane Asseyi’s cross right at the start of the second half. West Ham had to weather an early storm from the hosts, as after just two minutes, Shelina Zadorsky was on hand to turn Jessica Naz’s left-wing cross behind for a corner. The Canada international then got her head to the resulting set piece to clear away the danger. Spurs’ bright start continued in the opening ten minutes, but the best chance they yielded saw Olivia Holdt send a harmless shot wide of Szemik’s goal.

After a few bright signs on the counter attack, the Hammers crafted their first clear-cut opportunity of the half just before the 20-minute mark. An audacious flick from Asseyi started the move, sending Verena Hanshaw clear down the left. The full-back crossed to find Piubel, but she fired a first-time effort over the bar. That only gave the east Londoners confidence. From the following goal kick, Riko Ueki chased down Naz and won the ball back outside the area before striking off target. Then, last season’s Hammer of the Year, Asseyi, curled a shot just over the bar after cutting in intelligently from the left.

The France international was soon involved again, this time whipping in a dangerous corner that nobody in Claret and Blue could force home, with Oona Siren, Katrina Gorry and Shekiera Martinez all having stabs inside the box. There were then opportunities for both sides at the end of the first half. A lay-off from Spurs captain England resulted in Naz clearing the crossbar from the edge of the box before Asseyi tried another right-footed curling effort from the left corner of the box, but again came whiskers away from finding the top corner.

Having finished the first period brightly, the Irons came out quickly in the second and should have opened the scoring when Asseyi’s cross to the back post found an unmarked Piubel, but the No77 couldn’t direct her strike on target. Not long after, Szemik was called into action, tipping away Holdt’s dipping cross. But in doing so, our No1 collided with the post and couldn’t continue, and was replaced by Walsh. 

Skinner then also sent on Ffion Morgan, who replaced Piubel, for her competitive debut in Claret and Blue.  The Wales international had an immediate impact, bursting down the right, but her low cross was unable to find Asseyi in the middle. Skinner’s side kept building. After some quick passing around the edge of Spurs’ box, Hanshaw fizzed in a low cross that Tōko Koga intercepted before it rolled to Martinez.

But up the other end, with six minutes of normal time to play, referee Phoebe Cross awarded the home side a penalty when Gorry was adjudged to have fouled Eveliina Summanen inside the box. Spurs skipper England stepped up and, despite Walsh going the right way, slotted the ball home into the bottom-right corner. The visitors were unable to conjure up a clear-cut opportunity in eight minutes of added time at the end of the second half, meaning England’s penalty was the difference between the two teams at full-time in east London.

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Tottenham Hotspur:

Kop, Nildén, Naz (Gunning-Williams), England (Grant), Holdt (Graham), Rybrink, Hunt, Spence (Ahtinen), Summanen, Dennis (Tandberg), Koga