Brighton held on to their third-place position in the Women’s Super League with a dramatic 3-2 victory over West Ham, secured by Fran Kirby’s decisive late goal. The Seagulls appeared to be cruising to a routine win but were forced to dig deep after West Ham captain Katrina Gorry dragged her side back into contention with two stunning long-range strikes.
The match started brightly for Brighton, with Rachel McLauchlan’s classy opener providing an early highlight. The right-back combined brilliantly with Kirby, who delivered a clever flick to set her up. McLauchlan then curled a precise left-footed shot into the bottom corner, lighting up an otherwise subdued first half at the Amex.
Brighton doubled their lead early in the second half when Kiko Seike capitalized on a chaotic sequence. Moments after teammate Seraina Piubel missed a glaring chance from close range, Seike bundled the ball home to make it 2-0. At that stage, the hosts seemed in complete control.
However, Gorry had other ideas. The Australian midfielder sparked West Ham’s comeback with a breathtaking effort, initially hitting the crossbar with a fierce strike from distance before finding the net seconds later. Her 30-yard drive flew into the Brighton goal, possibly aided by a slight deflection and some misjudgment from goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley, who appeared unsighted.
Just five minutes later, Gorry struck again, this time stealing possession in midfield and unleashing another unstoppable shot from 25 yards. Baggaley was left beaten for a second time, and West Ham’s momentum appeared unstoppable as they leveled the match at 2-2.
But the visitors’ resurgence faltered when Gorry was forced off with an apparent shoulder injury after a collision while attempting to win back possession. Her absence slowed West Ham’s charge, allowing Brighton to regain control. With eight minutes remaining, Kirby delivered the decisive blow. Taking a sharp touch inside the box, she wrong-footed Oona Siren and unleashed a low, precise shot that kissed the inside of the post before finding the net.
Brighton’s resilience ensured they claimed all three points, maintaining their strong start to the season while leaving West Ham to rue what might have been.
