Chelsea moved to the Women’s Super League summit after a scintillating 6-0 win over Aston Villa at the Bescot Stadium.

Millie Bright marked her 250th appearance for Chelsea with her first goal of the season before five other Blues netted on a bruising afternoon for Villa.

Fran Kirby doubled the lead before the break and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Ashley Lawrence, Aggie Beever-Jones and Niamh Charles sealed the emphatic six-goal win.

It was an agonising afternoon for Villa manager Carla Ward as her side suffered their fifth defeat of the season and remain pointless at the bottom of the table.

Both sides started brightly, but Villa’s poor defending was ruthlessly exposed by Chelsea’s attacking prowess.

Villa centre-half Danielle Turner did well to clear Kirby’s early shot off the line before the England midfielder rattled the crossbar.

Chelsea’s well-worked set-piece routine broke the deadlock 20 minutes in. Mia Fishel’s header was hooked off the line by Rachel Daly but the rebound fell to Bright, who slotted home from close range.

Daphne van Domselaar did well to keep Chelsea at bay but the mesmeric Kirby netted the visitors’ second, poking home her second attempt after another goal-line clearance from Turner.

Villa breathed a sigh of relief after captain and prolific goalscorer Daly was permitted to continue after a foul from Erin Cuthbert, but the afternoon swiftly crumbled for the hosts.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Kirby had the ball in the back of the net but was adjudged to be in an offside position.

Rytting Kaneryd capitalised on a poor pass from centre-back Turner, who trailed the Swede as she raced into the box and angled home past Van Domselaar’s outstretched reach.

Lawrence’s volley had the game wrapped up for Chelsea before substitute Beever-Jones’ solo effort and Charles’ first goal of the season completed the drubbing.