Chelsea returned to the top of the Women’s Super League table with a nervy 2-0 win over second-from-bottom West Ham.

Aggie Beever-Jones opened the scoring inside two minutes at Chigwell Construction Stadium, where the hosts had a goal controversially chalked off and were nearly on level terms before the break through Riko Ueki’s crossbar-clipping effort.

Mackenzie Arnold’s left post denied substitute Mayra Ramirez the chance to extend Chelsea’s lead before Erin Cuthbert settled the result with an 88th-minute strike.

Chelsea moved back to the summit on goal difference, level on 43 points with second-placed Manchester City ahead of the final five matches of the WSL season.

The hosts had an early chance when Viviane Asseyi directed a header wide before the Blues took an early lead through Beever-Jones, who smashed past Arnold from Lauren James’ squared pass.

West Ham wasted a golden chance to issue a quick reply, Kirsty Smith finding herself in acres of space on the left but was off target with her close-range effort from Jess Ziu’s pinpoint delivery.

Beever-Jones tried again, this time denied by Arnold’s sliding stop, and Chelsea were fortunate to avoid conceding an equaliser when Honoka Hayashi had the ball in the back of the Blues net but it was chalked off for offside – with replays suggesting the goal should have stood.

With no VAR, however, Chelsea’s lead stood at the half hour mark of a lively first half in which the Hammers wholly held their own, though were unfortunate to lose Katrina Gorry, who went down with what appeared to be a lower-leg injury.

Ueki came inches away from a glorious equaliser, skimming the woodwork with an effort from 30 yards out in another encouraging moment from the hosts, who would rue another miss before the break when Asseyi, through on goal, launched her effort into the stands.

Emma Hayes made a double substitution 10 minutes into what was perhaps not the controlled start to the second half the Chelsea boss would have wanted, introducing Erin Cuthbert and Catarina Macario before James fired wide of Arnold’s right post.

On came more replacements for the visitors including a 200th Chelsea appearance for Fran Kirby and the introduction of Ramirez, who was first denied by Arnold’s outstretched boot and then by the inside of the post.

The Hammers won a free kick from a dangerous position but it was a similar story for Asseyi, whose attempt was closer but still high of the target, and Arnold could do little to prevent Cuthbert’s thumping effort into the roof of her net as Chelsea put the result beyond doubt.