Match ends, Everton Women 4, Bristol City Women 0.
Everton comfortably beat bottom club Bristol City to record their first win in six Women's Super League games.
Izzy Christiansen fired the Toffees into an early lead and Simone Magill capitalised on a goalkeeping error to make it 2-0 at the break.
Christiansen netted her second with a rising angled drive before Megan Finnigan added a fourth from a corner.
Bristol City remain winless in the WSL this season, suffering defeat in Matt Beard's first game in temporary charge.
The 43-year-old former Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham boss has stepped in while Tanya Oxtoby takes maternity leave.
League struggles continue for Robins
Everton had started the campaign with four successive wins but a five-match winless run - which included back-to-back defeats by Manchester City and Arsenal - had dented their hopes of a top-three finish.
Christiansen gave Willie Kirk's side the perfect start at Walton Hall Park when she converted Nicoline Sorensen's low ball from the left from six yards out.
Visiting keeper Benedicte Haland denied Christiansen a second soon after, but the Norwegian fumbled a cross from Hayley Raso to allow Magill a tap-in seven minutes before the break.
Bristol City had an appeal for a penalty waved away in the second minute of the second half, and Everton midfielder Maeva Clemaron had an effort cleared off the line before Lucy Graham teed up Christiansen for her second of the game.
The Robins have reached the semi-finals of the Continental League Cup, where they will face Championship leaders Leicester City, but remain four points from safety following their ninth defeat in 11 WSL games this season.
The visitors, who have now lost their past four league games by an aggregate score of 18-1, were without goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley and midfielder Carla Humphrey, who are self-isolating following positive Covid-19 tests.
Line-ups
Everton Women
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1MacIver
- 2Wold
- 20Finnigan
- 13StringerBooked at 85mins
- 3TurnerSubstituted forPikeat 74'minutes
- 8ChristiansenSubstituted forClintonat 75'minutes
- 21ClemaronSubstituted forSeveckeat 67'minutes
- 16RasoSubstituted forGauvinat 67'minutes
- 17Graham
- 14Sørensen
- 10MagillSubstituted forBoye-Hlorkahat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Boye-Hlorkah
- 15Pike
- 19Gauvin
- 22Sevecke
- 23Korpela
- 26Clinton
Bristol City Women
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 13Haland
- 2Bryson
- 5RaffertySubstituted forMatthewsat 45'minutes
- 3Evans
- 12AllenSubstituted forLayzellat 89'minutes
- 14PalmerSubstituted forMastrantonioat 45'minutes
- 10Daniels
- 6Logarzo
- 11Wellings
- 17BissellSubstituted forHarrisonat 45'minutes
- 9Salmon
Substitutes
- 4Matthews
- 18Collis
- 21Harrison
- 25Layzell
- 26Mastrantonio
- 28Jones
- 31Smith
- Referee:
- Christiana Hattersley
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home66%
- Away34%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away5
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton Women 4, Bristol City Women 0.
Post update
Offside, Bristol City Women. Charlie Wellings tries a through ball, but Abigail Harrison is caught offside.
Post update
Grace Clinton (Everton Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Chloe Logarzo (Bristol City Women).
Post update
Attempt missed. Ella Mastrantonio (Bristol City Women) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Yana Daniels.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Abigail Harrison (Bristol City Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Rikke Sevecke (Everton Women).
Post update
Ebony Salmon (Bristol City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Offside, Bristol City Women. Chloe Logarzo tries a through ball, but Gemma Evans is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City Women. Naomi Layzell replaces Flo Allen.
Post update
Foul by Nicoline Sørensen (Everton Women).
Post update
Yana Daniels (Bristol City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Grace Clinton (Everton Women).
Post update
Yana Daniels (Bristol City Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Nicoline Sørensen (Everton Women).
Post update
Yana Daniels (Bristol City Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Booking
Abbey-Leigh Stringer (Everton Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Abbey-Leigh Stringer (Everton Women).
Post update
Charlie Wellings (Bristol City Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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