West Ham United Women 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion Women: Seagulls leapfrog Irons in table

Brighton inflicted a rare home defeat on West Ham in the Women's Super League to move above their hosts into sixth place in the table.

Aileen Whelan got the visitors off to the perfect start when she finished smartly with only two minutes played.

And Brighton wrapped up the victory with 10 minutes to go when a Hammers mistake gave Inessa Kaagman a tap-in.

Hope Powell's side become only the second team to beat West Ham at home in the competition this season.

Champions Chelsea were the other, but the hosts' performance at the Chigwell Construction Stadium was not up to their usual standards on Sunday.

They were opened up by a swift early move from Brighton down the right that ended with Whelan sweeping into the corner from the edge of the box following Kaagman's cut-back.

Brighton looked more likely to add to their lead, with Danielle Carter heading over in the first half and testing home keeper Mackenzie Arnold with a low strike early in the second.

Megan Connolly also clipped the crossbar with a fierce effort from distance after the break.

Tameka Yallop had the hosts' best chance and brought a good save from Katie Startup after a neat ball across the box by Katerina Svitkova, but that was as close as West Ham came to levelling.

The hosts did begin to put some pressure on Brighton with crosses into the box late on, but were then undone by an error of their own at the back.

A mix-up in the Hammers backline meant the ball broke to Kaagman and she tapped into an empty net from inside the area.

Formation 3-5-2

Formation 4-4-1-1

Match ends, West Ham United Women 0, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 2.

Second Half ends, West Ham United Women 0, Brighton and Hove Albion Women 2.

Foul by Lucy Parker (West Ham United Women).

Lee Geum-Min