This was a wake-up call for Newbury and they reacted well, showing some neat passing and build-up play. Skipper, Leanne Creese was involved in several attacks down the right flank, linking well with Nicole Beesley. It was a dangerous cross from Creese into the Marlow box that resulted in a sweet volley from midfielder, Gemma Povey. Her shot stung the hands of the Marlow goalkeeper, but she held firm to keep Newbury at bay.

In the 16th minute however, Newbury found the breakthrough. Povey won the ball well in a central area and then fed Lily Chubb, who laid the ball out again to Creese on the right wing. Her fierce shot evaded the keeper, but agonisingly clipped the base of the far post. Following in for Newbury was Lauren Sheldon and she reacted ahead of the Marlow defence to provide a well-placed finish and give Newbury the lead. One nil to the visitors.

As the first half progressed, it was turning into the best footballing performance from Newbury in a long while, with plenty of energy and creativity in their attacking play. Creese delivered another pin point cross from a wide area, which saw the Marlow keeper forced to save from Beesley from six yards. Chubb for Newbury was first to the rebound and she looked odds-on to score, only for a retreating defender to somehow block on the line and keep Marlow in the game.

It was all Newbury pressure now, but they couldn’t quite find the second goal to really put them in command of the match. The final ten minutes of the opening half saw Marlow start to come back into the contest and they forced two corners in quick succession. Newbury dealt with both comfortably, but they were pegged back on 41 minutes when Marlow had a quick break down the right. In almost a repeat of the Newbury goal earlier in the game, the ball was crossed into the penalty area and O’Leary made the save for Newbury, but she was unable to gather and the onrushing Marlow winger stole in to level the scores at 1-1 just before half time.

At the break, Sam McConnon was withdrawn as a precautionary measure for Newbury and she was replaced in defence by Sam Atkins. The second half began with Newbury again seizing the initiative and really imposing themselves on their hosts in some style. Striker Chubb quickly chalked up a hat-trick of chances, with one effort just over the bar and the Marlow keeper again forced into another save to deny her.

Her strike partner, Beesley then had a shot that just went wide of the upright, before Chubb was released after good work down the left by Atkins and Sheldon. She showed good skill to beat the last defender and then lofted her shot from the edge of the area over the head of the goalkeeper, but the ball clipped the cross bar and cruelly went over.

Shortly after Marlow had made a double substitution, so too did Newbury use their last sub, bringing on Issy Cunningham for goal scorer, Lauren Sheldon, with 24 minutes left to play. Any threat that Marlow tried to pose, was quickly snuffed out by Newbury’s back line, which was holding firm, with Sophie Self in particularly dominant form.

In the game’s closing stages, Beesley had moved out to the left wing for Newbury, where she was still giving a strong, bustling display. After a marauding run down that flank, she cut into the Marlow penalty area and unleashed a low shot that was once again well saved for a corner. Again Marlow cleared, but they were by now hanging on, as Newbury pushed and pushed for a winning goal.

In the 80th minute it was Beesley again that tried her luck from distance. Her lob looked like it would dip just enough to creep in, but it was not to be, as the ball again struck the top of the bar and the score line remained at one goal apiece. It was such hard luck for Newbury, as their performance more than warranted all three points. But after a run of defeats, they would settle for a point away from home and look to build on this display for the rest of the season.