Norfolk’s England Lionesses’ ace Lauren Hemp starred in a 2-0 Women’s Super League title shoot out win over Chelsea that prompted athletics legend Usain Bolt to ask for her shirt.

Hemp served up an assist and a superb swerving half-volley in Sunday’s 2-0 victory at the Academy Stadium watched by eight-time Olympic gold medal sprint star Bolt.

The 22-year-old, who will be gunning for World Cup glory this summer after her role in England’s European Championship win last year, overcame an ear infection to grab the headlines.

Hemp posted a social media picture of her with the athletics great after the game.

“I couldn’t believe it, it must have been the pace,” said Citizens’ team mate, Esme Morgan, speaking to her club’s official site. “I was sat across from her in our pre match meal and she looked down in the dumps, obviously in a lot of pain, and I was like ‘come on Lauren you’re going to have the best game of your career today, believe’.

“She scored an amazing goal. She grafts so hard, she’s always there fighting back and pressing. She just came to me and said ‘Es guess who’s just asked for my shirt?'.

“I was wracking my head through the Chelsea team thinking who has she had a battle with today – I was too tired to think of anyone and she just said ‘Usain Bolt!’.”

Hemp, who started her career with North Walsham and Norwich City Ladies before moving to Bristol City, is a key figure for club and country.

Her latest starring role moved the Citizens level on 38 points from 16 games with arch rivals United at the top of the WSL, with Chelsea a point further adrift with a game in hand.

City boss, Gareth Taylor, had labelled the match a ‘must-win’.

"Sometimes when we say things, people take a sound bite and it puts unnecessary pressure on you. However, what I did say was that I think Chelsea will win the title if we don't win,” he said, interviewed by the BBC.

“That's not to say they still won't, but if we lost, at this stage of the season, it's too much. Now it's really opened up.

"I thought it was a really good performance. In the first half, we went after them and forced Chelsea into mistakes - scored both of our goals in terms of putting them under pressure and they are hard to play against.

"Then, it was all about taking care of the final action and we did that really well for the two goals.

"I love working with the girls and they are great. When you have days like today, it makes it magic."