Danielle Carter took her personal goal tally against Estonia to six in two matches as England eased to a 5-0 win in their Euro 2017 qualifier at Meadow Lane.
Last September the striker, making her England debut, struck a hat-trick in Estonia as the Lionesses romped to an 8-0 victory.
Carter wasn’t included in boss Mark Sampson’s squad for the back-to-back qualifying games against Serbia earlier this summer, but returning to the squad for tonight’s match at the home of Notts County Carter punished Estonia once more with another three goals.
The Arsenal striker started the match alongside fellow former University of Hertfordshire student Jordan Nobbs, while Welwyn Garden City’s Alex Scott had to make do with a place on the bench.
England went into the match having already qualified for Euro 2017 from Group 7, with the intention now to top the group ahead of Belgium who the Lionesses take on, away from home, on Tuesday.
They had already dominated possession and had had two glancing headers off target before Carter turned in the box and slotted her shot past Getter Laar and inside the far post after just 10 minutes.
Jill Scott then nodded in from a yard after Nikita Parris’ header dropped to her courtesy of the Estonia crossbar, before Carter struck again for 3-0.
This time the 23-year-old started the move with a ball out wide to Parris and, while her team-mate carried the ball into the box, Carter continued her own run and duly tapped in unmarked for her second.
It was almost three on 30 minutes. Gemma Davison was having a free rein down the right past Estonia’s left-back, who barely got close to her all evening. But on this occasion the winger cut inside and played the ball into Carter, but the striker’s effort was pushed wide by Laar.
England controlled this match from start to finish against a side who have not registered a goal in qualifying, and Sampson’s players should have had a fourth just after the break.
This time Carter turned provider, but Parris’ low, drilled effort across the face of goal crept beyond the far post.
Carter’s second three-goal tally against Estonia was duly completed moments later. Karen Carney’s free-kick was hit into the box, and when the ball dropped to Carter the Arsenal lady made no mistake to cap off a fantastic evening in front of goal.
Substitute Rachel Daly stung the palms of Laar with 20 minutes remaining while Nobbs also went close with a volley just over the bar.
So too did Carter, before a foul in the box in the dying moments on Karen Carney allowed the same player to step up and score her 30th goal for her country from the penalty spot to make it five for England in what was a comfortable evening for the Lionesses.
England: Chamberlain, Bronze, Stokes, Nobbs, Houghton, Potter, Davison (Flaherty 74), J Scott (Moore 62), Parris (Daly 60), Carney, Carter. Subs: Spencer, Scott, Rafferty, Christiansen.
Estonia: Laar, Raadik, Hindrimae, Loo, Palmaru, Aarna, Bannikova, Zlidnis, Vals, Ounpuu, Lepik. Subs: Sasova, Kubassova, Toom, Tammik, Rosen, Saar, Strigin.
Att: 7,052
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