Bethany England’s first Women’s Super League goal of the season saw Tottenham beat bottom side Bristol City 1-0 at Ashton Gate.

The 29-year-old striker, who has struggled with injury, netted the game’s only goal in only the second minute to earn Robert Vilahamn’s sixth-placed visitors all three points.

The result left the hosts six points adrift at the foot of the table with five matches remaining – three of which are against the current top three of Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Spurs captain England had scored three goals in the FA Cup since the turn of the year but had not opened her league account until she struck early on.

Grace Clinton slid a pass through to England on the right of the penalty area and she cut back onto her left foot to beat Fran Bentley at the near post with a shot the goalkeeper would have expected to have done better with.

But that was the most clinical Spurs were all game. When England teed up Celin Bizet she failed to hit the target with only the goalkeeper to beat, while Jessica Naz fired wide after getting the ball trapped under her feet after another England pass.

Bristol City’s Ella Powell was similarly wasteful when she got behind the Spurs defence on the left only to shoot straight at Becky Spencer, who almost gifted the hosts an equaliser early in the second half when she dropped a corner but managed to pounce on the loose ball.

Tottenham continued to miss chances, Drew Spence curling a shot wide of the post and then having another effort tipped over by Bentley. Wang Shuang flicked on the resulting inswinging corner from Eveliina Summanen, but it rebounded off the far post.

Amalie Thestrup had the Robins’ last decent chance for an equaliser but fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.

Spurs winger Matilda Vinberg had two opportunities to finish things off in added time but saw one shot deflected wide and another hit the outside of the post.