Sam Kerr scores four as Chelsea hammer West Ham to reach League Cup final

Sam Kerr scored four goals as Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea thrashed West Ham 7-0 at the Chigwell Construction Stadium to reach the Continental Tyres League Cup final.

The Irons had held Arsenal to a goalless draw in their WSL match on Sunday, but were left stunned as Chelsea raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 22 minutes in Dagenham.

Kerr converted a free-kick at the far post to set the Blues on their way after just four minutes.

Before the home side could regroup, they fell further behind as Lauren James broke down the right and fed Fran Kirby, who raced into the penalty area and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.

Kerr fired in her second of the night after Erin Cuthbert pounced on a stray pass across the West Ham backline to feed the Australian forward, who took a touch before rifling the ball into the top corner.

Just before the break, Kirby went off after pulling up when running for a long pass but Chelsea kept the foot down.

In first-half stoppage time there was some more wayward defending from the Irons when Hawa Cissoko fell over before attempting a backpass, the ball rolled on into the penalty area and Kerr slotted past fellow Australian Mackenzie Arnold to complete her treble.

Looking to salvage something from the tie, West Ham manager Paul Konchesky made four changes for the second half which saw January signing Shannon Cooke handed a debut.

Chelsea, though, soon had a fifth when James cut inside to fire past Arnold, before West Ham’s forgettable evening was compounded when substitute Lucy Parker was forced off with injury in the 56th minute.

Kerr nodded in her fourth from Eve Perisset’s cross on the hour, with Guro Reiten’s deflected effort in the 65th minute completing the rout.

Chelsea – beaten by Manchester City in last season’s final to deny them a domestic treble – go on to face Arsenal at Selhurst Park on March 5.