Lorrie Fair made her debut for Chelsea Ladies this Sunday as the Blues staged an unsuccessful comeback from a two-goal deficit at half-time.

On a freezing cold afternoon the Ladies refused to give in but failed to take a point from the fixture that saw some dubious offside decisions go against the hosts.

Starting in the number seven shirt was Chelsea's newest arrival Lorrie Fair, who had an immediate impact with her two-touch passing down the centre of the field, while former Blue Caroline Collie returned between the Doncaster posts.

Within five minutes of the kick-off, Chelsea had showed our intent as Fair played a ball that allowed Ellen White and Susi to break into the box. With only Collie to beat, White cleverly tapped the ball into Susi's path before the number 11 smashed her shot into the side netting.

Fair continued to play some clever through balls, which split the Doncaster defence, and seemed to be teaming up well alongside Danni Buet.

It was Fair who created the opener after launching a ball down the centre of the field for White to collect in the box. White then laid the ball into Susi's path only inches out of the strikers reach. Fortunately Doncaster's attempt to clear the ball from danger hit Susi and the rebound found the back of the net, 1-0.

Minutes later it was Lizzie Edwards taking her chance at goal as she fired two consecutive shots only inches wide from 25 yards out.

But it was Doncaster who were to score next as a scramble for the ball ensued inside the Chelsea box and the visitors came out of the situation with a scrappy equaliser gained.

Two minutes later they were in the lead when three Belles opened up the Chelsea defence before firing a shot across the face of goal and out of the reach of Chamberlain, who watched in vain as the ball found the bottom right, 2-1.

Chelsea then tried to even the scores with Buet and White both being denied by Collie before Doncaster made it three. An intelligently placed free-kick from 30 yards out created confusion inside the Blues box before the ball was eventually tapped behind the line to give the Belles a two-goal lead before the break.

Chelsea came out in the second-half with a renewed vigour. Buet and White both came close while Katie Owen warmed up on the sidelines as she prepared to replace an injured Lizzie Edwards.

A couple of dubious offside decisions laid waste to some fantastically placed through-balls by Fair, frustrating both White and the crowd.

White continued to chase Chelsea's second though and fell only inches short as the 55th minute rolled in.

Next it was down to Chamberlain to pull off a fantastic save as she collected Doncaster's attempt to find a fourth and gave Chelsea the possession to grab our second as the hour mark approached. A brilliant Blues move saw an inch perfect cross land at the feet of Susi who was waiting on the far post and found herself with both time and space to chip the ball behind the line, putting us only one goal away from levelling the game.

Soon after Susi's second, Collie was carried off the field with an injured ankle to the crowd's applause, putting an end to her return game against the Blues and renewing Chelsea's vigour as Doncaster's second choice keeper took up her role between the posts.

By now Owen was on the field and relishing the opportunity with some beautifully placed crosses. One flew over the head of White before falling towards Susi who mistimed her jump and failed to make contact, allowing the ball to go out for a goal-kick.

The Doncaster strikers were more accurate as they secured their fourth when a communication confusion led to a failed offside trap that allowed the Belles to break into the box and, after the ball was twice cleared off the line, eventually find the back of the net.

The Blues then began to bombard the Doncaster box with crosses, all fruitless, in our attempt to close Doncaster's lead. Susi, White and Fair all had chances denied by either inaccuracy or the keeper.

Sophie Perry came closest to scoring when she fired a shot towards the bottom right that flew beyond the reach of the Doncaster keeper before spinning only inches wide.

But a third Blues goal seemed inevitable and it fell to Jess Smith to provide us with it when the Belles failed to clear a Chelsea corner and we were on hand to punish them with a scramble in the box to find our third, 4-3.

It was then Fair's turn to try and even the scores when, from the edge of the box, she launched a dipping shot towards goal only for the Doncaster keeper to leap high and tip over for yet another fruitless corner in the dying minutes of the game.

'If we show 150 per cent and lose it doesn't bother me so much. If we don't show 150 per cent and lose then it does,' said Ladies manager Shaun Gore.

'We didn't play well enough and we didn't have enough passion, but the Doncaster girls were excellent. We will have to play better than that in our next game.'

Chelsea Chamberlain; Stoney (c), Cooper, Hills, Perry; Buet, Fair, Smith, Edwards (Owens 50); White, Susi.
Scorers Susi (15, 60), Smith (80).
Unused subs Delves, Rafferty, Larkin.

By Christian Collison