Chelsea Women had to come from behind, after Pauline Bremer caught the Blues off guard to open the scoring from close range after just 10 minutes.

However, we dominated the remainder of the half and saw numerous chances go begging. Our patience and perseverance was rewarded when Sjoeke Nusken drew us level with the final kick of the first half - her first goal since joining the club in the summer.

Nusken capped a hugely impressive individual display with a second goal, which completed our comeback soon after the restart. The German was not done there, either, netting our third from close range.

The German turned provider for Aggie Beever-Jones to add a fourth, shortly after the latter had come from the bench. Elisabeth Terland reduced the deficit to 4-2 with a late consolation for Brighton, but we stood firm during stoppage time to secure our third straight home league victory.

Chances galore

There were four changes to the side which began the 2-0 victory over West Ham United in our previous WSL outing at Kingsmeadow last weekend, but we maintained our 3-4-3 formation. Ann-Katrin Berger came in between the sticks, Kadeisha Buchanan was part of the back three, while Eve Perisset occupied the right side and Sjoeke Nusken partnered Sophie Ingle in midfield.

It was Brighton who got the game under way on a gloriously sunny afternoon at Kingsmeadow. We made an assured start to the match, passing the ball nicely and almost taking an early lead when Fran Kirby’s distant strike left the crossbar rattling. However, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 10 minutes, when Bremer tapped home at close range from Katie Robinson’s low cross.

We needed to regroup after that early setback and produced a wonderful free-flowing move which almost culminated in an equaliser on 25 minutes. Sam Kerr squared for Nusken, who had drifted into the box unmarked, and the German got a shot away that was superbly tipped around the post by Sophie Baggaley in the visiting goal.

Moving through the gears in search of a leveller, Millie Bright produced a wonderful pass which set Kirby through on goal, but the England forward was denied one-on-one by Baggaley. Shortly after, Kirby was denied by the crossbar once again, before a melee saw two efforts scrambled off the goal-line as the Seagulls threw everything in the way of our advances.

On the stroke of half-time, the Blues finally got what our efforts warranted, when we netted an equaliser with the last kick of the half. Jess Carter showed great strength on the right side before delivering a perfect cross, which Nusken guided home with aplomb to take us in level at the break.

Comeback complete

A change at the break for the Blues saw Johanna Rytting Kaneryd replace Buchanan for the second half. It didn’t take the Swedish winger long to make an impact, when she played a lovely give-and-go down the right, cutting inside on her favoured left foot and forcing a save out of Baggaley, down low to her right.

On 51 minutes, we turned the game on its head and took the lead, Nusken bagging her brace after a devastating counter attack. Kirby picked out Rytting Kaneryd, who fed Kerr down the right. The Australian squared the ball for an unmarked Nusken, and she took the ball under her spell before lashing emphatically past Baggaley to complete the comeback.

A double change for the Blues on 55 minutes saw Kirby and Lauren James make way for Jelena Cankovic and Jessie Fleming. A third goal for the Blues would provide a much needed cushion, Brighton proving capable of causing problems on the attack, with half an hour still to play in a hard-fought contest.

A much-needed third goal arrived with just over a quarter of an hour to play, courtesy of Nusken once again, who rounded off an excellent individual performance with a devastating hat-trick. Another intelligent and well-timed run into the box saw her perfectly placed to latch on to a cross from the right and tuck the ball home to claim the match ball.

Ingle and Kerr left the field for Beever-Jones and Mia Fishel in another double change for the Blues with 10 minutes remaining. Nusken turned provider for Beever-Jones, who confidently slotted home our fourth of the afternoon. Terland netted a late consolation for the visitors as the game finished 4-2, seeing us enter the international break with another three important points.

What it means

Three points against a resilient Brighton side this afternoon sees us move up to second place in the WSL table ahead of the international break, level on points with leaders Manchester City after three wins and a draw to kick-start our title defence.

What's next?

Following today's match against Brighton, the WSL takes a break for the international window, when several Blues will be representing their countries around the world.

We return to league action with a trip to Aston Villa at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Saturday 4 November, with kick-off at 12.30pm (UK time). The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

The teams

Chelsea (3-4-3): Berger; Bright, Buchanan (Rytting Kaneryd 45), Carter; Perisset, Ingle (Beever-Jones 79), Nusken, Charles; James (Fleming 55), Kirby (Cankovic 55), Kerr (Fishel 79)
Unused Subs: Musovic, Lawrence, Mjelde, Hampton
Scorers: Nusken 45+3, 51, 74, Beever-Jones 82

Brighton & Hove Albion (5-4-1): Baggaley; Li (Rule 67), Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Carabali, Kullberg; Robinson (Sarri 67), Losada, Pinto (Symonds 58), Bremer (Haley 77); Lee (Terland 58)
Unused Subs: Startup, Pattinson, Sarri, Zigiotti, Hawkesby
Scorers: Bremer (10), Terland (89)

Referee: Stacey Fullicks