The winger re-established our lead after Bethany England had cancelled out Jess Carter’s early header. James picked up the ball on the right flank and glided past three Tottenham players before finding the bottom corner from just inside the box.

That goal came soon after the midway point of a hard-fought first half. Carter’s first of the season put us ahead with seven minutes on the clock, but the lead didn’t last long as England struck from close range against her former club.

Then came James’ sublime contribution to give us the leas heading into the break. After it, Guro Reiten extended our lead with a calm finish having raced clear on goal.

Spurs had the final say through Nikola Karczewska, so for the second week running we had to fight to hold on to a 3-2 advantage and get over the line.

With Manchester United drawing 0-0 at home to Everton earlier in the day, the Blues are now two points clear at the top of the WSL table.

The selection

Hayes made a single change to the team that started the FA Cup win against Liverpool a week ago. Sophie Ingle returned in place of Fran Kirby, who dropped to the bench, and lined up next to Jessie Fleming in the heart of midfield.

Early blows traded

Reiten was a bright spark for us early, twice showing excellent skill to beat her defender. She had our first sight of goal, too, collecting Erin Cuthbert’s pass before a crunching Amy Turner challenge stopped her getting a shot off.

From the resulting corner we did take the lead, however. It was played short and worked to Cuthbert, who curled in a teasing cross that Carter got a faint touch to with her head, steering the ball into the net via the right-hand post. Her joyful celebration was that of someone who doesn’t score many!

That was on eight minutes and eight minutes later, it was 1-1. It was a goal made in Cobham, ironically, with Drew Spence beating Cuthbert to the byline and crossing for England to net from a couple of yards out.

Genius from James

With that goal the hosts grabbed the momentum and caused us problems on more than one occasion, but out of nothing we regained the lead with 27 minutes played.

It was a goal of the highest quality scored by James. She collected a pass on the right flank, breezed past Kerys Harrop and drove infield at the heart of the Tottenham backline, who were afraid to challenge her. Now 15 yards out, the winger drove a powerful finish off the inside of the same post Carter had hit, with the same positive outcome. Sheer class!

That proved the end of the scoring in what was an eventful and hard-fought first half, with plenty of crunching tackles flying in on a lovely winter’s afternoon at Brisbane Road. Kadeisha Buchanan and Cuthbert were booked for the Blues.

The early exchanges of the second half were quieter, with neither keeper having much to do with the contest unfolding in the middle third. Hayes brought on Fran Kirby and Eve Perisset on the hour mark, with Fleming and Niamh Charles making way.

‘We’re top of the league!’

Those changes had the desired effect as we quickly made it 3-1. Kerr flicked on a long kick and Reiten seized on hesitancy in the Spurs backline, stealing the ball from Celin Bizet, racing clear one-on-one and calmly slotting past Tinja-Riikka Korpela on her left.

With the news reaching the Chelsea support in east London that Manchester United had been held, a rousing rendition of ‘We’re top of the league!’ rang out around Brisbane Road.

Zecira Musovic hadn’t had much to do but with 20 minutes left she was required to fist a goalbound header away as Spurs kept the ball alive from a corner.

Spurs did set up a nervy finale through sub Nikola Karczewska, who shot past Musovic from close range as the ball was worked back into the box and kept alive.

Kirby almost immediately made it 4-2 but her header was well saved by Korpela. The Blues safely navigated the four minutes of added time to pick up three more precious WSL points.

What’s next?

We play West Ham United in the Continental Cup semi-final on Thursday evening. Our next league assignment isn’t until Sunday 5 March when we host Brighton at Kingsmeadow.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Musovic; Charles (Perisset 60), Buchanan, Bright, Carter; Ingle, Fleming (Kirby 60); James, Cuthbert (Cankovic 73), Reiten (Rytting Kaneryd 80); Kerr (Leupolz 74).
Unused subs Berger, Eriksson, Mjelde, Abdullina
Scorers Carter 8, James 27, Reiten 64
Booked Buchanan 28, Cuthbert 45+1

Tottenham (3-4-2-1) Korpela; Bizet (Ayane 86), Turner (Karczewska 77), Bartrip; Zadorsky, Harrop, Summanen, Spence; Iwabuchi (James 86), Neville; England.
Unused subs Spencer, Ale, Ubogagu
Scorers England 16, Karczewska 88