Arsenal Ladies reserves won their opening home game by four goals to nil and will be soon climbing up the table after reducing the gap to 14 points on League leaders Brighton.

It was an entertaining game with Arsenal the clear winners, creating an array of chances and keeping a clean sheet on a very cold Sunday afternoon.

Rianna Dean opened the score on the 13th minute, finishing from close range after a good cross from right-winger Anna Filbey.

Laura Hooper added a second on the 19th minute with a powerful low shot from 20 yards that went under the Oxford goalkeepers’ body.

Right-back Shannon Cooke quickly added a third goal, seven minutes later, with a 30-yard missile from the right wing that went in just under the crossbar.

Rianna Dean grabbed her brace in the second half, intercepting a back-pass and going round the goalkeeper for the fourth and final goal.

4-0 is a good result and their first League win as the only previous game was lost through an away walkover on 25th September with many players away on international duty.

This is one of the problems with having a very small 14-player squad, as you are just three injuries away from having no subs or just need some of the players called up with England U19 and there you go, you don’t even have 11 players available.

The starting 11 was: Sian Rogers; Shannon Cooke, Lucy Parker, Lotte Wubben-Moy (c), Chiara Ritchie-Williams; Chloe Brunton-Wilde, Anna Patten, Laura Hooper; Anna Filbey, Rianna Dean, Tinaya Alexander.

All substitutes were used with Taylor Hinds coming on at left wing, Keilani Peart at centre back and Amelia Houghton-Boyle in goal.

In the other only League game played on Sunday, Chelsea beat London Bees 10-0 away and overtook the Bees in second place.

Both have 12 points but Chelsea have a better goal difference.

Brighton are top of the table with 17 points.

Arsenal reserves are second from bottom in ninth place with three points from two games.