After several chances for both sides in Kingston, the Blues broke the deadlock after 35 minutes through Sjoeke Nusken. Aggie Beever-Jones doubled our lead five minutes later but it was 2-1 at the break after former Blue Jelena Cankovic pulled a goal back for the visitors.

Our two-goal advantage was restored six minutes into the second half when Johanna Rytting Kaneryd made it 3-1 from close range. Brighton pulled another goal back through Kiko Seike in the 71st minute, yet it proved only a consolation as Nusken netted our fourth in injury time to seal our victory.

The win ensured the Blues extended our winning run in the WSL this season to nine consecutive games and we remain five points clear atop the table.

Changes made

Head coach Sonia Bompastor made three changes to her side from our previous WSL match against Manchester United. Ashley Lawrence, Wieke Kaptein and Beever-Jones were all introduced to the starting XI.

There was also a place for Niamh Charles on the substitutes bench, with the defender named in a matchday squad for the first time this campaign after she recovered from a dislocated shoulder sustained in pre-season.

Early chances

It was the Blues who first went close. Guro Reiten, who had scored in her previous four WSL appearances, saw a strike across the face of goal deflected behind for a corner and Nusken sent her header side from the resulting set-piece.

There was soon another corner for the hosts and Millie Bright almost gave us the lead. Reiten whipped the ball into the box from the right and it dropped to our captain at the near post, but her effort from close range was just off target.

An opener was also gifted to the visitors when the ball was nicked off Nusken inside the Chelsea box. It allowed Nikita Parris a shot on goal that was well-saved by Hannah Hampton. Cankovic looked to bury the rebound against her former club, only for her effort to be blocked a yard off the line by Nuksen, who recovered well.

The Seagulls then won a corner which we dealt with well and looked to hit our opposition on the counter-attack. Rytting Kaneyrd found Reiten and the latter saw her strike gathered by a diving Sophie Baggaley.

With barely 12 minutes on the clock, another Chelsea chance arrived. The ball fell to the feet of Lucy Bronze who was waiting 20 yards out from goal and she unleashed a powerful strike that was deflected over.

At the other end, Parris was presented another opportunity after a Blues mistake around the box, however, she hit her strike well wide of the target.

Hampton then showcased her incredible reflexes to keep the score level, as our goalkeeper made a fantastic stop at her near post when Brighton defender Carabali attempted to guide a powerful header from a corner into the back of the net.

The opener arrives

After Rytting Kaneryd blasted a strike over the bar, we did break the deadlock 10 minutes before the interval thanks to a close-range finish from Nusken.

The German midfielder, who netted a hat-trick against the same opposition last term, nicked the ball from Cankovic when the Seagulls tried to play the ball out from the back and passed it into the back of the net despite an attempt to clear the ball from a Brighton defender.

The visitors looked to respond immediately, but another phenomenal diving save from Hampton kept our lead intact as she pushed Pauline Bremer's header wide.

Yet five minutes after going ahead, we doubled our advantage. Pressure was applied on a Brighton pass back and Beever-Jones intercepted the ball from Baggaley, brought the ball back into the goal-mouth and was able to roll it home for a simple finish.

However, the deficit was halved before the interval when Parris picked out former Blue Cankovic on the edge of the 18-yard box and she found the back of the net against her former club with a curling strike beyond Hampton.

Charles returns

There were two changes at half-time for the Blues as Catarina Macario replaced Wieke Kaptein and Charles came on for Lawrence to make her first appearance of the season to great applause from the Kingsmeadow supporters.

The first opportunity after the interval fell to Brighton. Seike latched onto a loose pass from Hampton and hit a strike goalwards, but the Blues goalkeeper made amends with a smart stop with her feet to deny the forward.

And just moments later it was 3-1 to Bompastor's side. Rytting Kaneryd scored our third when she dispatched the ball into an empty net. The winger prodded home a rebound after Bronze saw a strike saved by Brighton goalkeeper Baggaley.

Brighton substitute Bruna Vilama looked to get the visitors another goal back when she was picked out by Parris and unleashed a powerful strike on the edge of the area. However, she saw her effort well held by an alert Hampton.

That second goal for Brighton did soon arrive, though. In a similar scenario to her previous chance, Seike found the back of the net when she took advantage of a misplaced pass out from the back by Hampton, powering it home from 12 yards out.

We did have an opportunity to extend our lead when Bronze hit the ball goalwards after being picked out from a free-kick, but her scuffed volley was deflected behind for a corner. The resulting set-piece saw Chelsea substitute Mayra Ramirez's effort come back off the post.

Macario then showed brilliant skill to fashion an opportunity for herself and she unleashed a driving strike towards the Brighton goal, but it fizzed just wide of the post.

Further chances for the Blues to put the game to bed were created, with Charles having a tame strike saved by Baggaley before there was an even better opportunity for midfielder Cuthbert who hit the side netting from close range.

The visitors then went straight up the other end in search of an equaliser and Seike eyed a brace, but her driving strike was vitally saved by the feet of Hampton.

There was time for a fourth goal, however, and it went the way of Chelsea as Nusken scored her second when she got an all-important touch and to knock the ball into the back of the net from a corner in injury time.

What it means

The victory against Brighton means Bompastor's side has now won nine games from a possible nine in the WSL and we sit five points clear at the top of the table.

What next

The Blues are back in action Wednesday evening when we host FC Twente at Stamford Bridge in our penultimate UEFA Champions League group match. Our final WSL game of 2024 sees us face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium next Saturday.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton; Bronze, Bright, Bjorn, Lawrence (Charles 46), Nusken, Cuthbert (Jean-Francois 90+3), Kaptein (Macario 46), Reiten, Rytting Kaneryd (Ramirez 71), Beever-Jones
Unused substitutes: Musovic, Bernabe, Mpome, Perisset, Hamano
Scorers: Nusken 35, Beever-Jones 40, Rytting Kaneryd 51, Nusken 90+1
Booked: Cuthbert 19

Brighton: Baggaley; McLauchlan, Carabali, Bergsvand, Pattinson, Seike (Rayner 86), Olislagers, Cankovic (Vilamala 62), Losada, Parris, Bremer (Agyemang 46)
Unused substitutes: Loeck, Milner, Heron, Pegram, Balmer, Johnson
Scorers: Cankovic 43, Seike 71
Booked: Parris 64, Carabali 75