Mary Fowler has showed her best for Manchester City, scoring two brilliant goals in a key Women's Super League victory that propels them ever closer to the English title.

The Matildas star has rarely demonstrated all her gifts in her two years in a City shirt but, with star striker Khadija Shaw out with long-term injury, the Australian started and chose the perfect time to make sure the WSL's leading scorer was not missed in the 4-0 victory at Bristol City.

Fowler's second-half double, which condemned Bristol City to relegation, helped propel City six points clear of champions Chelsea in the title race — and with a superior goal difference by seven over the Blues, who still have two games in hand.

For her own career with City, though, her outstanding display at Ashton Gate felt like a significant moment for Fowler, who has found it difficult to nail down a starting spot in the star-studded team despite her obvious array of skills.

City did miss their 21-goal ace Shaw as Fowler's excellent creative work, with fine runs and crosses from both flanks, did not find the finishes they merited.

Having failed to break down Bristol's defence in the first hour, Fowler decided to take matters into her own hands.

Finding a bit of space outside the box in the 62nd minute, she marauded forward unchecked and unleashed an unstoppable left-foot strike, the likes of which she has pulled off for the Matildas but not previously in England.

"I've been having some shocking shots in training so I just hoped that one was going to go on target," Fowler told Sky Sports with a smile afterwards.

"It feels really good to get more game time. I try to bring my best to the team and having been on the side for a while I just try to stay focused in training and be a good teammate on the side."

Thirteen minutes later, she made it 2-0 with a centre-forward's goal that Shaw would have been proud of, ghosting in ahead of her marker and expertly sliding home Lauren Hemp's cross from the right.

With City now able to relax after her two strikes, they ended up grabbing two more, one courtesy of Amy Rodgers's awful own goal and the other an Alex Greenwood header with the final touch of the match.