City began on the front foot, constantly winning the ball back around the Brighton penalty area, and took the lead on one such occasion in the fifth minute when Kerolin's deflected strike from the edge of the penalty area flew into the top corner. Khadija Shaw should have made it two moments later, too, only for her shot to come back off the post, while Maya Yamashita had to be at her best to deny Fran Kirby from close range at the other end during a frantic opening.
The game settled down from there, and Kerolin was presented with a golden chance to make it 2-0 shortly before half-time after being played in on goal by Shaw, only for her effort to be saved by Chiamaka Nnadozie. City were made to pay for their profligacy, too, when American forward Madison Haley fired into the bottom corner to equalise in first-half stoppage time.
The turnaround was complete early in the second half when Kiko Seike got in behind Alex Greenwood down the City left and arrowed a shot past Yamashita at her near post. The City goalkeeper was then quick off her line to deny Haley, but she could do nothing midway through the second period when, after she had again saved from Haley, the Brighton striker rose highest to nod home the rebound.
City pushed to find a way back into the game, and Shaw grabbed a consolation with a low finish across Nnadozie, but the visitors were ultimately beaten, leaving them nine points clear of second-placed Chelsea, who now have a game in hand, and - more pertinently - 11 clear of Arsenal in third, who have three extra games to play when compared to the leaders during the final month of the campaign.
GOAL rates City's players from Broadfield Stadium...
