Aston Villa 2-4 Tottenham: Thomas bags hat-trick in thriller
Martha Thomas scored a hat-trick as Spurs came from behind to clinch an emphatic 4-2 Women’s Super League win over Aston Villa at Bescot Stadium.
Rachel Daly’s early penalty set the hosts in motion but it was quickly derailed as Thomas equalised and Ashleigh Neville gave the visitors the lead just before half-time.
Two more impressive goals from Thomas secured the win before Lucy Parker pulled one back for the hosts in stoppage time as they suffered a fourth successive WSL defeat.
Villa took the lead just five minutes in when Adriana Leon was brought down by Eveliina Summanen in the box and Daly expertly dispatched the powerful spot-kick down the middle.
Trying to make amends, Summanen had a tame attempt to equalise as she shot straight at Villa goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
At the other end, Spurs keeper Becky Spencer pulled off a big save to deny Ebony Salmon before Jordan Nobbs sent a scrambled corner wide.
Tottenham drew level in the 33rd minute when Thomas dispossessed Scotland team-mate and Villa captain Rachel Corsie.
Pouncing on the error and taking advantage of van Domselaar being miles off her line, Thomas scored from 25 yards.
Villa created intricate chances as Daly played a backheel to find Nobbs, who laid the ball back for Daly, but the England striker could not rise high enough to get on the end of the well-worked attack.
Five minutes into first-half stoppage time, Jessica Naz floated in a deep cross to find Neville, who launched high above the sea of Claret shirts to give Tottenham the lead.
Spurs substitute Drew Spence energised the visitors, requiring van Domselaar to tip her strike over the crossbar.
Yet the hosts’ sighs of relief were short-lived after Thomas converted the subsequent corner to net her second of the afternoon.
With the visitors firmly on the front foot, Thomas secured the season’s first hat-trick as she curled the ball past an outstretched van Domselaar.
Parker headed home a consolation goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time but Tottenham had already secured all three points.