This was our first encounter against London City in the Women's Super League, and we soon had the advantage when Sandy Baltimore squared the ball across the box from the left, allowing Ellie Carpenter to pop up on the opposite side and tap the ball home from close range after just six minutes.

Our opponents refused to be turned over and battled hard for their share of possession, defending our attacks with keen determination.

Just as it looked like London City might push for an equaliser late on, they were punished for their advances on Hannah Hampton's goal. Erin Cuthbert's ball forwards created a chance for substitute Sam Kerr, who delighted the home crowd with a looping finish over scrambling goalkeeper Elena Lete.

Flying start

Sonia Bompastor made three changes from the side that recorded a 4-0 win over Paris FC before the international break, bringing in Lucy Bronze, Carpenter and Guro Reiten for Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Wieke Kaptein and Alyssa Thompson.

Bronze dropped into the line-up at centre-back while Baltimore and Carpenter pushed up into the attacking wing-back roles.

Chelsea went close early on. Cuthbert pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the penalty area, driving forward, and just as it looked like her shot would hit the back of the net, London City's Grace Geyoro seemed to come from nowhere as she made a last-ditch block.

Our breakthrough came from one wing-back to another. Picking up the ball in midfield, Reiten made a pinpoint crossfield pass to Baltimore on the left, who managed to square the ball across the six-yard box to Carpenter, who slipped her marker and tapped the ball in at the far post.

London City gathered their composure after conceding early and managed to reach the half-hour mark without going behind any further. Yet when the space opened up 30 yards from goal, skipper Millie Bright hit a long-range effort towards the top corner, and her shot only just went over the bar.

Changes made

Niamh Charles replaced Baltimore at half-time as the Blues pressed for the second goal. A long ball from Carpenter picked out Reiten in the far corner, and the Norway international brought the ball down perfectly, but Lete collected her cross.

Bompastor soon made two further switches, bringing on Rytting Kaneryd and Oriane Jean-Francois for Reiten and Sjoeke Nusken. The Blues began to look brighter, and a move begun by Rytting Kaneryd forced a corner when Carpenter's cross on the opposite wing was blocked by the defender.

Carpenter and Rytting Kaneryd then linked up well down the right again to play in Beever-Jones in a central position, but the striker's attempt was charged down by the defender.

Increasing the pressure

The Blues were turning up the heat on their cross-city opponents, and when Charles played a clever ball into the box for Beever-Jones, the number 33 took a touch and shot only to see her attempt creep wide of the post.

And after having scored her first goal for Chelsea from the edge of the box against Tottenham Hotspur last time out in the WSL, Keira Walsh took another shot from distance, but that also went wide of the target.

Rytting Kaneryd got on the end of a Kerr flick-on, but couldn't quite make the finish from a tight angle in stoppage time.

Magic Moment

London City were emboldened and forced a couple of saves from Hampton during the five minutes of added time. Yet instead of sitting back and defending a narrow lead, Erin Cuthbert hit an up-and-under ball towards Kerr, and the Australian striker pounced on an attempted clearance from London City.

With the goalkeeper having rushed out to meet the danger, Kerr sensed her opportunity and chipped the ball into the corner. It was a high-quality finish to what had been a controlled performance from the Blues.

What it means...

Chelsea remain at the top of the table heading into next weekend's WSL fixtures.

What comes next...

We face another London derby when we travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal next Saturday lunchtime.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton, Bronze, Bjorn, Bright (c), Baltimore (Charles h/t), Carpenter (Kerr 74), Cuthbert, Walsh, Nusken (Jean-Francois 55), Reiten (Rytting Kaneryd 55), Beever-Jones (Kaptein 85)
Unused subs: Peng, Macario, Thompson, Girma
Scorers: Carpenter 6, Kerr 94
Booked: Cuthbert 38

London City: Lete, Fernandez, Kumagai, Asllani, Linari, Godfrey (Franssi 66), Parris (Roddar 77), Goodwin, Imuran (Lindstrom 82), Sangare, Geyoro (Pattinson 78)
Unused subs: Poor, Perez, Zelem, Brown, Kennedy
Booked: Sangare 62
Referee: Kirsty Dowle