Unfortunately for Newbury, they allowed their opponents straight back into the game from the re-start, by not getting to grips with Stony Stratford’s first attack. Chloe Hunt, in the Newbury goal, got down well to make 2 blocked saves, but the home side’s forwards were almost queuing up to knock in the third attempt and equalise for 1-1 with not even 4 minutes on the clock.

Rather than turning into a goal-fest, the match then settled down with some very even spells of possession. A few chances came and went for both sides, with neither keeper really tested. Newbury had one further scare midway through the half, when defender Lorna Parr had to clear away on her own goal line, following a Stony corner, but Newbury’s back line were looking more in control and organised than in previous games and the score remained at one goal apiece at the half time break.

As the second period got underway, Newbury sensed that they could take something from the game and their midfield duo of Kirsty Parfett and Shelley Forster combined superbly for the first opening. Parfett playing a through ball and Forster running from deep, narrowly beating the advancing goalkeeper to the ball, but dragging her effort agonisingly just inches wide of the far post.

With 65 minutes gone, Newbury’s defence showed a lapse in concentration, allowing the Stony winger to run in behind from a throw-in. Her cross into the six yard area was blocked by Hunt, but then cannoned back into the net from one of her own defenders for a cruel own goal and a 2-1 lead for the home side. Newbury made a change four minutes later, bringing on Nicole Beesley up front for Lily Chubb.

As the game entered the final quarter, both teams were tiring, but Newbury were working hard to go in search of an equaliser. The danger though, was that Stony Stratford would catch them on the break, as they had plenty of pace and movement in attack. Newbury’s entire team displayed plenty of guts and character to keeping digging in and with Hunt in fine form in goal, they were still very much in the match as full time approached.

Then in the 91st minute, Hunt gathered the ball in her own penalty area and launched a long kick down field and in a central position. Stony’s midfield allowed the ball to bounce and it sailed up again and high over the head of the last defender. Beesley for Newbury was furthest forward and she sprinted through, controlled the ball well and drove into the penalty area. She waited for the keeper to make a move and then with a huge amount of composure, she rifled an unstoppable shot into the net to bring her side back level. With barely enough time left for Stony just to kick off, the Referee brought the match to a close just seconds later, with 2-2 the final score line.

Newbury were definitely worth at least a point and the draw was probably a fair result. It was a good team display from the visitors that can certainly be built upon on in the coming matches, with several accomplished individual performances from Chloe Hunt, Naomi Purvis, Lorna Parr and Shelley Forster in particular.