England forward Georgia Stanway marked her 100th appearance for the Club by scoring twice - before later being sent off - with Nick Cushing’s side finding the target four times in a dominant opening 45 minutes with Ellen White and Lauren Hemp also scoring.
Stanway added to another fine individual display by then providing an assist as Tessa Wullaert struck a fifth goal after the break.
It was the perfect showcase for the Blues on Women’s Football Weekend with a healthy and noisy Academy Stadium crowd treated to a superb all-round display.
The only downside on the afternoon was the fact that Stanway was then dismissed on 72 minutes after picking up two yellow cards inside five minutes.
What happened
After a quiet start, the game exploded into life in the 11th minute as City broke the deadlock in clinical fashion.
Jill Scott almost connected with a teasing Caroline Weir corner, with the ball then bobbling about in the six-yard box.
The waiting Ellen White needed no second invitation to lash home her second goal in as many games and first league strike for City to give the Blues the perfect start.
Another inviting cross, this time from Tessa Wullaert, caused yet more panic in the Hammers box with City appealing for a penalty after the ball appeared to strike the arm of former City defender Tessel Middag.
However, referee Stacey Pearson waved away the home appeals.
The action was all one-way with Moorhouse then having to scramble to parry away a Houghton free-kick before another Weir corner saw the City skipper come within an ace of doubling our lead.
Another marvellous move then saw White just miss out on a second goal on the half hour. Wullaert again was the architect, with White just sending her pinpoint cross over.
But a minute later, City did double our tally as Stanway marked her 100th appearance in fitting fashion.
The England striker opened up a fraction of space inside the 18-yard box after great work from Scott and White before swivelling and dinking a sweet shot past Moorhouse into the corner of the net.
Within three minutes Stanway had struck again as a rampant City again showed our cutting edge.
Beckie was the creator this time and from her cut-back, Stanway made the angle before dispatching a fine shot into the left-hand corner of the net.
City were in complete control and our dominance was further emphasised with a fourth first half goal on 39 minutes and a third inside seven minutes.
Scott toyed with the Hammers defence before finding Lauren Hemp in space on the left-hand edge of the box and the England striker needed no second invitation to fire home.
City kept up the pressure after the break with White seeing a ferocious 18-yard shot cannon off the bar on 48 minutes.
And Stanway then turned provider on the 52 minutes as Wullaert made it five.
Stanway showed her strength and vision, first holding off the Hammers defence before finding the waiting Wullaert who drilled home from 15 yards.
Home keeper Ellie Roebuck was a virtual spectator but did show her class by producing a fine save to deny Leanne Kiernan.
But that couldn’t detract from a fine afternoon’s work by Cushing’s side.
How we lined up
Ellie Roebuck was in goal shielded by a back four of Gemma Bonner, skipper Steph Houghton, Demi Stokes and Janine Beckie. Caroline Weir, Jill Scott and Georgia Stanway were deployed midfield while the forward threat was carried by Ellen White, Tessa Wullaert and Lauren Hemp.
What it means
The result saw Cushing’s side retake top spot in the Super League table ahead of the remaining fixtures this afternoon with second and third placed Chelsea and Arsenal both in action later.
What’s next
City return to action on Thursday when we visit Everton for our latest Continental Cup group C clash.
Kick-off at the Halton Stadium is 7pm.
