Sanderson joined Chelsea in July after spending 11 years at Arsenal
England duo Lianne Sanderson and Eni Aluko hit the goals as Chelsea regained second spot in the Women's Premier League table with a 2-0 win at Leeds.
Doncaster Belles beat Blackburn Rovers by the same score to move within two points of third-placed Everton.
Watford jumped three places to fifth with a 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Nottingham Forest, who have just one point to their name after nine matches.
The games at Fulham and Bristol were postponed because of flooded pitches.
Leeds Carnegie 0-2 Chelsea
Chelsea bounced back from their first defeat of the season, 4-0 to Everton, with a hard-earned victory that took them to within two points of leaders Arsenal.
Leeds had the better of the early stages but it was Blues who took the lead when Sanderson scored her ninth goal of the season two minutes before half-time.
And after the home side had wasted a couple of second half chances Sanderson's strike partner Aluko took her season's goal tally to 13 with a stoppage time victory-clincher.
Doncaster Rovers Belles 2-0 Blackburn Rovers
The Belles stretched their impressive recent run to five wins and a draw in the last six League and Cup matches.
Precious Hamilton put them ahead in the 16th minute and Emily Heckler hit the second goal 21 minutes into the second half.
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Watford
Forest's first season of top-flight football is going from bad to worse as they search in vain for a first win of the campaign.
Kelly Finley gave them a chance with a 54th-minute goal that equalised Watford's 40th-minute opener by Georgie Adams.
But Sally Wade's winner seven minutes from time was the sting in the tail as the Hornets made it four games without defeat.
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