Everton Women started 2022 with a 3-0 defeat away to West Ham United in the Barclays Women Super League.

Two own goals from Danielle Turner and Gabby George, and a Dagny Brynjarsdottir strike gave the hosts the three points on Sunday afternoon.

It was poised to be an intriguing encounter at the Chigwell Construction Stadium as a win meant the Blues would go level on points with the Hammers.

After a slow start to the match, it was Jean-Luc Vasseur’s side who, up until the goal, would have been the happier of the two teams and teenager Hanna Bennison had Anna Leat in the Hammers goal worried 11 minutes in.

The ball was carelessly given away and gifted to Izzy Christiansen who found the Swede on the half turn. She got away from her defender and unleashed a menacing shot which had Leat scurrying and just about got her fingertips to it to force it onto the bar.

In the early stages the Blues had most of their luck on the counter-attack with the home side’s midfield struggling to contain Bennison when she had the chance to run at the defenders.

And on the half hour mark, Leat’s crossbar was struck again. This time, Poppy Pattinson fizzed in a delightful ball and Valerie Gauvin rose above the rest and glanced a powerful header which crashed against the bar and saved the hosts’ fortunes once again.

Despite the best and only real concrete chances going to the Toffees, the home side were the ones to break the deadlock just before the interval.

The ball was played to Katerina Svitkova from a throw-in and waited for Lucy Evans on the run who then sent the ball back from where it came from to the Czech winger who struggled to get a venomous strike away but was helped in by the rushing Turner, leaving Everton a bitter pill to swallow going in at half-time.

The Blues suffered another setback early into the second half. Winger Lucy Evans beat the offside trap and managed to square the ball to Brynjarsdottir who was ready and waiting to slot it home.

It came at a critical time in the game with Everton struggling to get a foothold in the second half of the game and chances came at a premium.

In the closing stages of the game, the game was all but decided as Evans found herself free again with Gabby George guiding it into her own net.

A disappointing start to the new year with the Blues hoping to turn their fortunes around next week as they turn their focus to the FA Cup.