KATHRYN BATTE: Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final hero Sam Kerr’s ability to keep producing match-winning moments makes her one of the world’s best… but the tournament and players deserved better than the BBC’s lacklustre coverage

After scoring in the 2-0 win that ended England’s 30-game unbeaten run, Sam Kerr limped off the pitch appearing to hold her knee. There was notable concern on the Australian bench. Up in the commentary box, Chelsea boss Emma Hayes was probably sweating too.

But there was no need for any fear. Kerr bounced into the post-match press conference and declared herself fit for Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. Five days later, she scored the only goal to send her team to Wembley.

In a season where Chelsea seem to have suffered a different injury each week, Kerr is one player who refuses to be knocked down.

The absence of Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder and the decision to sell Bethany England in January has meant Kerr has had little rest.

There is no back up striker at Chelsea now and with the club competing for three trophies, Kerr is having to play 90 minutes nearly every week.

Her ability to not only keep going but to keep producing match-winning moments is what makes her one of the world’s best. Perhaps what has been overlooked is the work she is having to do off the ball.

Kerr has not been as prolific in the WSL this season. She has eight goals, half the number of the division’s top scorer Khadija Shaw and 12 less than the total she managed last term.

Without Kirby and Harder, Chelsea are having to play a different style of football which often sees them have less of the ball. In their 1-0 victory over Manchester United for example, they had just 36 percent possession. Who was there with the winning goal? Kerr. She may not be scoring as frequently as last season but the goals she is netting are crucial.

Another example was her late equaliser against Arsenal back in January, a goal which could prove pivotal in the title race.

Rest is not a word familiar in Kerr’s vocabulary and she would not have it any other way.

‘It’s just what I’ve got to do, I can’t think about it.’ Kerr said of her ability to keep producing. ‘I love playing. Emma [Hayes] would tell you, when she takes me off or makes me take a rest day at training, I get so angry. It’s me that wants to keep playing and I’ll play as much as I can.’

Kerr has already played more minutes than last season – 2,501 compared to 2,463 in 2021-2022.

It is not just at club level where the demands on Kerr are high. She will be the poster girl for this summer’s World Cup, held in her homeland, but there must be some fear in the Aussie camp that she could burn out before the tournament begins.

Her minutes were managed in the last international break, with the striker sitting out a 1-0 defeat by Scotland before she played the majority of the win over England. But Chelsea cannot really afford to manage Kerr’s load when the WSL title race is so close and they have a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona to deal with.

Chelsea and Australia probably do not want to think about where they would be without Kerr. She is the glue that holds both teams together.

Not many forwards can relentlessly produce as consistently as Kerr does – and her manager knows it.

‘Her energy levels – it’s like she’s a 12 year old, it’s infectious,’ Hayes said of her striker.

‘I’ve never seen a centre forward move as much as her. I don’t know a striker in world football that can do what she does. She’s the best.’

Semi-finals deserved better coverage 

The BBC’s coverage of Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final with Brighton left a lot to be desired.

The broadcaster’s commentary lagged behind the match footage from start to finish, a problem that would surely have been fixed at half-time or before the end of the game had this been a men’s tie.

There were also technical issues with the commentary. Viewers could hear conversations with producers, which were clearly not meant to be broadcast, while fans complained of a strange background noise that interfered with the supporters’ chants.

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To make matters worse, there were not enough working microphones for the punditry team. Hope Powell and Gilly Flaherty had to keep passing one mic between them to answer questions from presenter Gabby Logan.

It made the production look low budget and amateur. The competition and players deserve better.

One down one to go 

Wrexham got their Hollywood ending as they sealed promotion to the Welsh top flight with a 1-0 victory over Briton Ferry. It was fitting that the winning goal was scored by Rebecca Pritchard, who was part of the team that was forced to fold in 2016. 

Wrexham’s success is testament to those who got the club back up and running in 2018 but the recent investment and commitment from owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has made a big difference. 

In a significant move, the club will be semi-professional from next season and will perhaps feel they can compete with the likes of Cardiff and Swansea who are unsurprisingly the top teams in the region. 

Reynolds and McElhenney attended a game last month and were seen celebrating wildly in the stands, as they do at men’s fixtures. One promotion down, over to Phil Parkinson’s men to complete the double.

Newcastle attracts large crowd 

A crowd of over 24,092 watched fourth-tier Newcastle United beat Bradford City 6-1 at St James Park. This was the fourth time the Magpies have brought in an attendance of over 20,000 and the club should be commended for the way they have marketed the team. 

West Ham, who are the only WSL club not to play a game at their men’s stadium, could perhaps take note. 

Newcastle’s players apparently persuaded Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi to dance in the changing room after the game but there may be bigger celebrations to come, with the chance of promotion in their own hands with three games to go.

One to watch

Emma Watson, remember the name. After failing to qualify for back-to-back tournaments Scotland have desperately needed a sign that the future is bright and 17-year-old Rangers midfielder Watson provided the magical spark last week. The teenager made her debut against Australia on Good Friday before scoring twice in the following match against Costa Rica.

Mail Sport understands that Watson is set to sign for Manchester United this summer and she will be an exciting addition to Marc Skinner’s side. United are on a recruitment drive to sign the best young British talent, with Evie Rabjohn another player they have snapped up. Players in the women’s game cannot sign professional contracts until they are 18, meaning United do not have to pay compensation for either player – a rule that has drawn criticism from several clubs.