Jessie Fleming’s first-half goal at the Banks Stadium secured the three points for the Blues.

Chelsea dictated proceedings from the start and went ahead on 22 minutes. Ji found Fleming with a chipped ball over the top of the Villa defence and Fleming took one touch before finding the bottom corner to put the Blues 1-0 up.

Both Ji and Erin Cuthbert came close to extending our lead just before the break but their long-range efforts both struck the crossbar.

In the early stages of the second half, Bethany England seen a close-range effort tipped over the bar by Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and Ji sent a free kick from the edge of the box inches wide of the target.

Chelsea had to withstand some late pressure from the host’s, but Hayes’s side held out to secure another three points on the road.

Today’s win keeps Chelsea second in the league on level points with Arsenal. Attentions now turn to the Champions League as Chelsea face Servette FCCF on Tuesday for our third group stage fixture.

Hayes made five changes to the team that beat Manchester City last weekend with Niamh Charles, Ji, Jonna Andersson, England and Fleming all coming into the starting XI to face Aston Villa.

Aniek Nouwen kept her place in defence, and she lined up alongside Millie Bright and skipper Magda Eriksson in a back three ahead of goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

Charles and Andersson came into the side and occupied the wingback positions with Sophie Ingle and Ji in central midfield.

England netted the third in last weekend’s semi-final win over City and the forward was named in attack alongside Cuthbert and Fleming.

Hayes had plenty of options on a strong-looking bench which included Fran Kirby, Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten and Melanie Leupolz.

Ahead of kick-off at the Banks Stadium, both teams observed a minute’s silence to mark Remembrance Day.

Chelsea came into today’s game off the back of last weekend’s semi-final victory against Manchester City and the Blues certainly looked confident in the opening 15 minutes.

Hayes’s side dictated play and went close with an effort from Ingle which curled just wide of the target before Andersson’s corner was tipped over the bar by Hannah Hampton.

The Blues were patient with our build up as we looked to carve out a real opening and that chance arrived and led to the opener on 22 minutes.

Ji clipped a perfectly weighted ball over the top of the Villa defence to put Fleming through on goal and the Canadian took one touch out of her feet before rolling the ball past Hampton and into the bottom corner.

She provided the assist for the opener and Ji nearly netted a second 10 minutes before the break.

The South Korean glided past the Villa players before unleashing a strike which cannoned off the crossbar.

Minutes later and the Blues were denied by the woodwork once again, this time it was Cuthbert’s long-range effort which Hampton tipped onto the bar to keep the score 1-0 at the interval.

Seven minutes into the second half and the Blues nearly doubled our advantage.

Cuthbert won the ball back deep into the Villa half and whipped in a low cross for England, but her first-time effort was palmed away by Hampton.

Chelsea were pushing for a second and it was Cuthbert who was involved once again just moments later.

Charles got in down the right and cut the ball back for the Scot, but Cuthbert’s goal-bound effort was blocked by the Villa defender.

Ji was fouled on the edge of the box and the South Korean struck the rewarded free-kick up and over the ball but agonisingly wide of the post.

Hayes made a double change with less than 20 minutes remaining with Kerr and Kirby both coming into the action as Chelsea searched for a second goal.

Kirby nearly provided an assist for a second as she raced down the right and picked out goalscorer Fleming but the Canadian couldn’t generate enough power behind her strike to trouble Hampton.

Despite some late pressure from the hosts, Chelsea managed to see the game out to secure our second league away win of the campaign.

With Arsenal playing West Ham tomorrow evening, Chelsea sit second in the standings on level points with the Gunners.

The Blues face Servette FCCF in Switzerland on Tuesday before a league trip to Manchester City next Sunday.

Aston Villa (5-4-1) Hampton; Mayling, Sargeant, N’Dow, Asante, Pecheco; Arthur (Hayles 80), Ewers (c) (Littlejohn 61), Allen, Petzelberger; Lehmann

Unused Subs Rogers, Boye-Hlorkah, Hutton, Haigh, Gregory, Brown, Davison,

Booked Allen 56

Chelsea (3-4-3) Berger; Bright, Nouwen (Carter 46), Eriksson (c); Charles, Ingle, Ji, Andersson; Cuthbert (Kirby 71), England (Kerr 71), Fleming (Leupolz 80)

Unused Subs Musovic, Telford, Reiten, Kerr, Spence, Fox

Scorers Fleming 22

Booked Bright 28 Andersson 90+1

Referee Abigail Byrne