Birmingham City Ladies 6 Charlton Ladies 1
In the eighth minute Kerys Harrop chipped the ball through the Charlton defence after a free-kick from the impressive Chelsea Weston on the right, Amy McCann - restored to the starting line-up - was on it and saw her initial effort saved by Sian Jenkins before firing the rebound onto the left-hand post.
Within a minute Blues hit the woodwork again with Faye Cardin picking out Heather Scheuber with her back to goal and the midfielder turning and hitting a rising effort which beat Jenkins only to cannon off the bar.
Scheuber was involved in everything and provided the lofted pass to send McCann in on goal from the right two minutes on, the Northern Ireland forward’s shot was saved and she squared the rebound to Maz Gauntlett, who shot was somehow scrambled away by Jenkins and a defender.
Jenkins tipped over a Gauntlett curler in the 14th minute but within seconds Blues were finally ahead when Weston whipped in a corner from the right which Gauntlett powerfully headed against the bar with McCann reacting first to head home from close range.
Five minutes later the lead was doubled when Gauntlett timed her run onto a Scheuber through-ball to get behind the Charlton defence and coolly finish past an exposed Jenkins.
Another five minutes and another goal with a high, hanging Scheuber ball to the far post headed back across goal by McCann for Becky Hall to head in, via a defender, from close range.
In the 28th minute it was 4-0, Gauntlett finding McCann who beat one player to the ball before turning her marker inside out and firing home past Jenkins at her near post.
Hall created the fifth in the 42nd minute, forcing the error on the halfway line before a trademark run down the right, leaving opponents trailing in her wake before pulling it back for the onrushing Scheuber to hit a sweet effort which dipped over Jenkins from 20 yards.
The second half was a different story with relegated Charlton showing fight and snapping into the tackle and Birmingham taking their foot off the gas.
The visitors had a deserved reward in the 61st minute when Daniella Farmer got behind Harrop and, seeing Sue Wood off her line, sent a sublime lob over the stranded keeper which dropped inside the left-hand post.
Birmingham restored their five-goal cushion in the 73rd minute when a deep cross from Weston was recovered by substitute Sinead Wade who roll it to the oncoming Katy Ward who cracked a dipping effort over Jenkins from fully 25 yards.
Ward was narrowly wide of the top-right corner with another effort from distance four minutes later after good work from substitute Crissy Torkildsen and Laura Bassett saw her powerful 90th-minute drive saved by Jenkins’ legs at the death.
Teams, Blues: Sue Wood; Faye Cardin (Crissy Torkildsen, 53min), Laura Bassett, Kerys Harrop, Katy Ward; Becky Hall, Heather Scheuber, Sally Lacey, Chelsea Weston, Maz Gauntlett (Sinead Wade, 68); Amy McCann. Subs not used: Jemma Buttler, Steph Samuels.
Charlton: Sian Jenkins; Zoe Dalton (Tonje Smedholen, 62), Jenny Moore, Kimberley Dixson, Harley Bennett, Donna Kelynack, Daniella Farmer, Emma Tune, Nina Boorman, Claire Williams (Stefanie Simmons, 66), Claire Tapp (Stacey Little, 81). Sub not used: Jay Blackie.
