Fulham 0 v 6 Charlton Women's Premiership

CHARLTON Ladies returned to the top of the league with a convincing win over London rivals Fulham.

It took the Addicks just 30 seconds to dispel the memory of the hard-fought victory against Fulham earlier this season as Eniola Aluko scored her team's first of the afternoon.

From then on the result was rarely in doubt and Charlton took the chance to improve their goal difference, something which could be vital with things at the top of the table being so close.

Aluko's opener came from a pass by Sarah Snare who was playing in place of Amanda Barr.

The 19-year-old slipped the ball through the heart of the Fulham defence for Aluko to demonstrate her devastating pace and she pushed the ball past goalkeeper Leanne Hall and into the empty net.

The advantage was doubled just three minutes later when Snare was pulled down just outside the penalty area and Josanne Potter converted the free-kick.

Potter then scored direct from a corner but the strike was disallowed due to pushing by her teammates inside the area.

Gemma Ritchie subsequently sent a low strike whistling past the far post and a shot on the turn from Aluko went over the crossbar.

With 28 minutes gone, former Addick Jodian Clarke gave away a free-kick after bringing down Emma Coss.

Potter sent a superbly flighted ball to the far post where former Cottager Gemma Ritchie sent a header low past Hall to make it 3-0.

And there was little respite for the home defence as a ball over the top after 41 minutes was chased by Snare and the striker calmly slotted her shot past the helpless Hall for goal number four.

In the last few minutes of the first half Fulham made their first real chance as Clarke burst through, but excellent closing down from the Addicks defence forced her to mis-hit her shot into the side netting.

The final action of the period saw the Addicks on the attack and culminated in Ritchie sending a 30-yard strike drifting narrowly wide of the goal.

Fulham's young side rallied a little in the second half and a Dunia Susi strike was well blocked by Stoney.

However, the Addicks were soon back in charge and were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Maria Bertelli's shot was clearly handled by Cottagers skipper Jessica Wright.

Midfielder Bertelli then split the Fulham defence with a fine throughball that found Potter, but her fierce shot was saved at point-blank range by keeper Hall.

England stopper Hall was soon in action again to fingertip a low drive from Aluko around the post and from the corner Bertelli sent a header inches wide.

With 69 minutes gone Barr replaced the industrious Snare and was soon in the action as she was bundled over in the penalty area as she challenged for Potter's cross.

She took the spot-kick herself but was foiled by Hall who made a fantastic initial save before also thwarting Bertelli by tipping the rebound wide.

Barr made amends after 78 minutes, however, when the England striker met Hills' cross with a low diving header.

As the game entered its final 10 minutes manager Keith Boanas introduced substitutes Kimberley Dixson and Faye Cardin.

In the 85th minute Barr completed the scoring when she cut into the penalty area, took on a couple of defenders and curled the ball into the far corner of Hall's goal.

Charlton: Cope; Murphy; Stoney; Hills; Hickmott; Ritchie; Bertelli; Coss (Cardin, 80); Potter; Snare (Barr, 69); Aluko (Dixson, 80).

Subs not used: Cabey-Gooden.