Chelsea returned to winning ways and moved eight points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League with a 3-1 victory over Leicester at Kingsmeadow.

Catarina Macario’s deflected free-kick gave Chelsea an early lead as they looked to bounce back from Sunday’s rare draw against Brighton.

Aggie Beever-Jones doubled the lead just before the break and although the visitors pulled one back moments later through Yuka Momiki’s fantastic chipped shot, Erin Cuthbert sealed three points late in the game.

There was concern for the Foxes late in the first half as they were forced into an early substitution when Ruby Mace was taken off on a stretcher.

Sonia Bompastor’s side remain unbeaten this season and they stretched their advantage over second-placed Manchester United while Leicester stayed six points above the relegation zone.

The hosts took the lead only eight minutes in when Macario smashed a free-kick from just outside the box and her effort took a deflection off the wall as goalkeeper Janina Leitzig was unable to claw the ball out.

A good break from Leicester saw skipper Janice Cayman have an opportunity outside the box, but her dipping strike was well-held by home goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

The Blues looked to extend their lead with midfielder Johanna Rytting Kaneryd causing problems in the box and Beever-Jones had a shot blocked before Mayra Ramirez nodded wide.

A lengthy delay saw the Foxes make an enforced change just before the break when Mace was taken off on a stretcher after picking up an injury and Saori Takarada was brought on.

Macario threatened again with another free-kick in a promising position which hit the side-netting while at the other end Leicester had a great opportunity, but Missy Goodwin was unable to tap home from a low pass across the box.

Maika Hamano chipped an effort over the crossbar early in the second half before Leitzig made a comfortable collection from Niamh Charles’ strike from a tight angle and was called into action again to hold Mayra Ramirez’s shot.

Chelsea’s pressure paid off six minutes after the break when a brilliant backheel from Ramirez played Beever-Jones through to roll the ball into the bottom corner.

Leicester pulled one back in the 55th minute when Asmita Ale won the ball just outside the Chelsea box and threaded a pass into Momiki, who chipped over Hampton and into the net.

Hamano had a great chance to restore Chelsea’s two-goal cushion when her first-time strike flashed past the post and Cayman forced Hampton into another huge save after unleashing a powerful effort from a tight angle.

Cuthbert rattled the crossbar in the final stages but the Scotland midfielder eventually found the bottom corner with a strike from just outside of the box in the 86th minute to wrap up the win.