Guro Reiten scored a stoppage-time equaliser as Chelsea secured a 1-1 draw with nine-player Manchester City in an eventful Women’s Super League contest at the Joie Stadium.

City led through Chloe Kelly’s seventh-minute deflected strike before seeing Alex Greenwood controversially sent off late in the first half, the skipper given a second booking having been judged guilty of time-wasting.

Team-mate Lauren Hemp was then dismissed as well in the 81st minute, but Gareth Taylor’s City were hanging on for a remarkable victory until Chelsea – who had already hit the woodwork twice – drew level through Reiten’s finish in the sixth minute of time added on.

Emma Hayes’ champions almost secured all three points in the final seconds but substitute Sam Kerr’s header hit a post.

A lively start from City saw a deflected Jill Roord shot parried by Zecira Musovic and the goalkeeper push away Hemp’s volley.

They then grabbed the lead when the ball came to Kelly around 25 yards out and she took a touch before unleashing a shot that looped over Musovic via a deflection off Jess Carter.

After Musovic’s counterpart Khiara Keating did well to save a Sophie Ingle header with her legs, City were reduced to 10 players in the 38th minute when Greenwood was shown a second yellow card, having been deemed by referee Emily Heaslip to have been time-wasting as the defender prepared to take a free-kick.

It was around 26 seconds after Heaslip had blown her whistle for the free-kick that she did so again to book Greenwood.

The decision drew an angry reaction from City, with Kelly and Laia Aleixandri booked for dissent in the aftermath, and the same applied to Roord at half-time as boos came from the crowd.

Chelsea brought on fit-again star striker Kerr at the break and, after Erin Cuthbert struck over the City bar, Lauren James rattled it with a wonderful curling effort in the 78th minute.

A big-name forward returning from injury was then introduced from the City bench, with Khadija Shaw coming on in the 80th minute, moments before the hosts suffered another setback as Hemp picked up her second booking of the contest, for a challenge on James.

There was a booking for the unhappy Taylor following that incident.

City almost responded by scoring a second goal as Shaw connected with a cross from fellow substitute Ruby Mace but could not get her effort on target.

Chelsea then cranked up the pressure and, after captain Millie Bright headed against the bar in the third minute of stoppage time, an equaliser arrived.

With City temporarily down to eight players, Alanna Kennedy having come off, Keating did well to parry another Bright header from a corner, but Reiten bundled the ball in from close range.

The visitors nearly found a winner, but Kerr saw her header come off a post in the 101st minute.