The drama began early. Maika Hamano put the Blues ahead after good work from Rytting Kaneryd, but the visitors soon levelled, in controversial circumstances. Amanda Nilden’s speculative cross was adjudged to have crossed the line when Hannah Hampton couldn’t claim it cleanly.

We restored our advantage just before the break courtesy of a Nilden own goal. Two more goals in four minutes midway through the second half ended the derby as a contest. Rytting Kaneryd executed a sensational volley to make it 3-1, and then Sandy Baltimore fired in after Guro Reiten’s penalty had thudded into the post.

There was still time for two more goals, the first a mere consolation for our visitors from a free-kick, and the second deservedly going to player of the match Rytting Kaneryd.

It is six wins from six to start the Sonia Bompastor era!

Team news

Just as for the midweek win in the Netherlands, the head coach shuffled her pack and made seven changes to her starting XI.

Hannah Hampton returned in goal and ahead of her Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze joined Kadeisha Buchanan in a back three.

Erin Cuthbert and Sjoeke Nusken freshened up central midfield, while Reiten and Mayra Ramirez came into the attack. Lauren James, who sustained a calf injury in the warm-up at Twente, was not involved.

Trading early blows

Hamano was one of those to retain her place in the side, and it was the Japanese attacker who gave us an early advantage. After Tottenham had edged the early exchanges, Chelsea sprung to life in the 10th minute.

Rytting Kaneryd capitalised on a loose touch from Nilden on the right wing and drove into the box. She bided her time before perfectly picking out Hamano, who slammed home her second goal in four days. The ferocity of the shot from close range proved too hot for Spencer to handle. Credit must go to Ramirez, too, who had done well initially to hold the ball up.

Reiten and Rytting Kaneryd both fired long-range efforts straight at Spencer as we sought a quick second. Instead, it was Tottenham who levelled on 20 minutes.

Controversial call

We had dealt with one cross when another was swung in by Nilden on the left flank. Hampton didn’t catch it cleanly and, according to the assistant referee, the spin on the ball when it bounced took it across the goal-line. Replays proved inconclusive; Hampton was booked for her protest.

In response, a teasing cross from Nusken evaded everyone and crunched onto the post. The challenges were coming in thick and fast now. We had a proper London derby on our hands!

Two former Blues threatened to give Tottenham the advantage either side of the half-hour. Bethany England was crowded out by Buchanan as she went for goal, and then Drew Spence bent a fine effort just past Hampton’s right-hand post.

Ahead again

We reasserted our authority and went back in front on the stroke of half-time. The second of two superb Reiten corners teased Nilden into trying to head it clear. Instead, she took it off Spencer and glanced the ball into the roof of her own net.

There was time before the interval for Bright to nearly make it 3-1. Her thumping header from another fine Reiten free-kick flew just over.

Bompastor replaced Cuthbert with Wieke Kaptein at half-time. The Dutch midfielder was closest to Spence when she worked a yard inside the box and fired goalwards. Hampton reacted quickly to parry it behind.

On the hour, Reiten’s left-wing cross was nearly turned in by Ramirez, with two Spurs defenders just about clearing their lines. That duo combined again and this time Reiten went for goal herself, drilling the ball wide after collecting Ramirez’s pass.

Jojo genius

After Buchanan had snuffed out the danger at one end, Rytting Kaneryd superbly extended our advantage. Bright lofted a deep cross towards the far post and the Swede ghosted in before guiding a quite brilliant volley with her instep across Spencer and into the far corner.

Three became four almost immediately. Rytting Kaneryd was at the heart of it again, breaking away down the right before seeing her cross handled by Clare Hunt. Reiten stepped up, sent Spencer the wrong way but hit the post. Thankfully, Baltimore was on hand to collect the loose ball and arrow a shot into the corner for her second goal of the season.

The visitors reduced the deficit with six minutes of normal time remaining, Eveliina Summanen bending a free-kick into the bottom corner after Buchanan had halted an attacker in her tracks.

Rightly it was Chelsea, and the outstanding Rytting Kaneryd, who had the final say. Again the attacker exploited space down our right, this time cutting inside and blasting a left-footed shot into the roof of Spencer’s goal.

This had been Chelsea, and Jojo’s, night!

What’s next?

Many of the squad will be heading off on international duty now. Next for the Blues is a trip to Liverpool to play Everton on Sunday 3 November. That is also a 6.45pm kick-off.

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Hampton; Bronze, Buchanan (Mpome 85), Bright (c); Rytting Kaneryd, Cuthbert (Kaptein h/t), Nusken, Baltimore (Lawrence 78); Hamano (Jean-Francois 85), Reiten; Ramirez (Beever-Jones 77)

Unused subs Musovic, Bjorn, Perisset, Bernabe

Scorers Hamano 10, Nilden (og) 44, Rytting Kaneryd 70, 90+1, Baltimore 74

Booked Baltimore 18, Hampton 21, Buchanan 83

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Spencer; Neville, Bartrip, Hunt, Nilden (Morris 75); Ahtinen (Gunning-Williams 75), Summanen; Naz, Spence, Vinberg; England (Thomas 63)

Unused subs Buhler, Csiki, Dennis, Dezire-Pierre, Grant, Talbert

Scorers Nilden 21, Summanen 84

Booked Hunt 29, Spence 76

Referee Emily Heaslip