Manchester United absolutely demolished Bristol City on Sunday afternoon in the Women's Super League 6-1.
Leah Galton bagged herself a brace as she scored her fourth goal in three games. She gave United the lead in style as she let rip with venom from outside the box to beat Sophie Baggaley - to be fair to the Bristol goalkeeper, there was not much she could have done to stop it. Galton's strike was a rocket. Her second goal could easily have been a cross but nonetheless she beat the Vixens goalkeeper to make which made it 4-0.
United doubled their lead just before half-time through Millie Turner. It was Katie Zelem's corner which was beautifully placed for Turner to head the ball down into the ground which then bounced past Baggaley to make it 2-0.
Casey Stoney's side did not settle for the two-goal lead as her side pushed for a third early in the second half. Jess Sigsworth was next to get her name on the score-sheet as she smashed home from the six-yard-box.
For City they pulled one back with a quarter of an hour to play but it was far too little and too late to mount any sort of a comeback.
Tobin Heath put the icing on the cake and reminded everyone why she was named in FIFA's best XI of 2020. She executed a glorious first-time-chip from outside the box to get her name on the score-sheet. Heath was then hungry for more as she used tremendous skill to beat a defender before she calmly finessed a strike into the bottom corner to make it 6-1.
United - who were already top of the table before the match - will pickup their campaign in pole position when they return from the Christmas break in 2021.
Story of the game
It was Ebony Salmon who had a wonderful opportunity to put the visitors ahead in the opening five minutes as she attempted to lob Mary Earps, but her effort was just wide.
Heath was the first to strike from long range and her effort grazed the bar.
Galton then took matters into her own hands and mimicked Heath's strike from the opposite side and scored an absolute screamer from well outside the box to give her side the lead.
Heath nearly doubled United's lead just five minutes after going a goal ahead. She picked up on a loose ball and tried to chip Baggaley but the Bristol keeper reacted well to make the save.
On the brink of half-time Turner headed the ball into the ground to beat Baggaley which doubled United's lead.
United did not hold back in the second half as they scored in the 51st minute. Sigsworth went down in the box and felt she deserved a penalty, the referee waved play on and the ball bounced around like pinball. Sigsworth got up, struck with anger past Baggaley for United's third.
Galton then continued her fine form as she added to her tally. Whether or not she intended to score from that angle is a different question. Nevertheless Galton scored her fourth goal in three games to give her side an even more comfortable four-goal lead.
Salmon eventually got herself a goal she deserved as she used her electrifying pace to get onto a lobbed pass from Charlie Wellings. Salmon's first attempt was saved well by Earps but Salmon followed up to put it in the back of the net.
Unfortunately for Bristol, time was not on their side and they left themselves too little time to change the result.
After being named in the world team of the year earlier in the week, it was timed to perfection for Heath to score a worldie. Her chip was perfectly executed from long-range.
As if Heath was not satisfied enough, she then picked up the ball on the right-wing, nut-megged the Bristol left-back and slotted the ball into the bottom corner for her second of the game.
Top spot for Stoney
Stoney's reds will now take a deserved break for the holiday season and will return to action on the 10th of January to face Everton - who they lost to 1-0 on Wednesday night in the Conti Cup.
United sit top of the table just four points ahead of rivals, Arsenal, and six points ahead of current WSL champions, Chelsea.