In our final home league game and our penultimate in the Women's Super League in 2024, the Blues signed off at Kingsmeadow with a win in a close and entertaining encounter as the Seagulls posed a stern challenge throughout.

Sjoeke Nusken scored a brace, with Aggie Beever-Jones and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd also on the scoresheet for the Blues in Kingston. Former Chelsea midfielder Jelena Cankovic and Kiko Seike scored for the visitors.

Bompastor's side prevailed with all three points which means we have won nine games from a possible nine in the WSL this season and sit five points clear at the top of the table with just one match left to play before the winter break.

But it was a hard-fought victory against a team who, like the Blues, aim to build out from the back. As a result, both sides gifted their opposition opportunities. This was not overly concerning for Bompastor though as she was encouraged by her side's resilience to stick to their game plan.

'The two teams made some big mistakes today, especially on the build-up and trying to build from the backline and the keeper,' Bompastor said in her post-match press conference. 'That's something that's going to happen when you have two coaches who have a philosophy where they want to build up.

'I prefer my team and my players to be confident enough and brave enough to try again, even if sometimes you can be in that position when you lose some balls.

'Sometimes it's about making a better decision, executing more quickly, scanning better, control - so, a lot of small details that are really important at the high level.

'The best teams are the ones who make the least mistakes. You will always have mistakes in the game, and I want my players to be brave enough to try again.'

The two goals Brighton scored at Kingsmeadow were the first that Chelsea has conceded in the league since a 5-2 win against Tottenham Hotspur on October 20, and our head coach believes this was an encounter that reflected the challenging nature of the WSL.

'Before the game, in the press conference, someone told me that we are really dominating the league and it was not good for the league,' Bompastor said. 'Today, it showed we have a competitive league and I know that.

'Brighton are a good team. We were expecting to have a difficult game because players are coming back from international duties. At this time of year, they are really fatigued.

'Sometimes we have to focus on the win, but in terms of performance, having the good energy to win the games. There are three games to go until the end of the year. We really need to make sure everyone is available in the squad and we have that energy.'

A half-time substitution saw Niamh Charles make her return from a dislocated shoulder that she sustained in a pre-season friendly in September.

'It's really good to have Niamh back,' Bompastor told the media. 'It gives me different options and more options for the game to start with or to rotate during the game.

'Niamh is a player who has a lot of talent, as you could see. It's never easy to come back in for 45 minutes, but she had a great performance in possession of the ball. She brings a lot. She's able to animate her corridor in a good way and stays forward. She is able to cross balls and out of possession, she had a great performance.'

Missing from today's squad was French winger Sandy Baltimore and Bompastor confirmed: 'Coming back from international duty, she had a small concern on her knee.

'We assessed her and didn't want to take any risks because her knee was a little bit swollen. We'll assess her again tomorrow and see how we move forward with her for the last games.'