Goalkeeper Kinga Szemik starred as West Ham drew Brighton’s sting before easing their way to a 3-1 Women’s Super League victory to end a three-game losing streak.

The Hammers were indebted to the Poland international for a string of fine saves which provided the foundation for a win sealed by Riko Ueki’s strike and Viviane Asseyi’s penalty inside four second-half minutes after Nikita Parris had cancelled out Shekiera Martinez’s opener.

Szemik had denied Madison Haley with a point-blank sixth-minute save, and although opposite number Melina Loeck had kept out Manuela Pavi’s effort, the hosts did take an 11th-minute lead when Martinez fired home from close range after Ueki’s stooping header had been saved.

However, they had been ahead for just three minutes when Parris celebrated her return to the England squad last week by converting Rachel McLauchlan’s cross to level.

Loeck managed to block Ueki’s stabbed attempt as the pair converged on an Asseyi free-kick, and she was relieved to see Katrina Gorry steer the rebound wide.

But Szemik had to come to the rescue once again to keep out Jelena Cankovic’s rising drive after she had been played through by Nadine Noordam with six minutes of the half remaining.

The visitors enjoyed a major escape on the stroke of half-time when Martinez picked off defender Caitlin Hayes’ woeful back-pass, but saw her attempt blocked by Loeck and although Pavi recycled the ball, her shot came back off a post.

Szemik excelled herself once again 10 minutes after the restart to keep out Kiko Deike’s strike, but it was the Hammers who were looking the more threatening as they pressed Brighton high up the pitch.

Evan Nystrom, substitute Seraina Piubel and Gorry all went close in quick succession before Ueki finally made the pressure tell, intercepting central defender Guro Bergsvand’s ill-judged 64th-minute pass to captain Vicky Losada before slotting home.

It was 3-1 within four minutes when, after she had been dragged back by McLauchlan, Asseyi stepped up to score confidently from the penalty spot to kill off the contest and extend the Seagulls’ winless league run to six games.