The home team kicked off the match and opened very brightly, with a couple of early chances seeing Rachel Panting and Nicole Beesley combining well in attack for Newbury, but the Fleetlands defence were able to close down and clear. Then in the fifth minute, Newbury were awarded a free kick 22 yards out to the left of the area, which Captain Leanne Creese stepped up to take. Her shot hit the base of the post and rebounded out to Ellie Reed, but her effort was gathered by the Fleetlands goalkeeper.

As the opening stages of the match unfolded, Newbury were on top, with the ball being played out intelligently from defence and worked down both flanks to good effect. Then on the quarter hour mark, Fleetlands came to life and forced two corners in quick succession, which the home defence were able to deal with and clear. There was further danger however when the Fleetlands left winger floated over a dangerous cross, but with no player able to make a connection inside the penalty area, the ball sailed just wide of the far post.

Newbury then burst forwarded down the right flank, after a flowing footballing move which was started by Lorna Parr and involved Creese, Panting and Beesley. Beesley’s cross-shot from the right just agonisingly evaded the lunge of Reed, who was coming in at the back post. It was now all Newbury in attack, with further chances for Creese and Panting. Fleetlands were on the ropes in this spell and the pressure finally told on 25 minutes when Reed was played in and about to shoot, before a desperate attempted tackle by a Fleetlands defender brought her down inside the box. There was no doubt about the foul and mistimed challenge and a penalty was awarded to Newbury. Up stepped Panting and she converted coolly from the spot to open the scoring and give her side a deserved one nil lead.

Straight from the re-start, Newbury won the ball back and went on the attack again. Creese winning a corner, which the Fleetlands defence cleared, but not quite far enough. Again Creese was involved with Panting in regaining possession and Panting’s pass fed Beesley inside the box. She took a touch and skipped past the last defender, before slotting the ball home left footed, with the Fleetland’s goalkeeper helpless. Two nil now to Newbury on 27 minutes.

As the half wore on, the visitors were barely threatening and Chloe Hunt in the Newbury goal had had little to do. The Newbury defence were repelling any hint of an attack and then were playing the ball out of defence really well. The 40th minute was one such occasion, with Gemma Povey striding forward from the Newbury half and passing ahead to Kirsty Parfett in space in a central area. She played a diagonal ball to Creese, who took a touch to set herself, before delivering a cross to edge of the area. It was met with a thunderous first time volley from Reed, just inside the Fleetlands area and the ball hit the back of the net before the goalkeeper had even had time to blink. It was a goal of pure quality and the best yet for Newbury, who now had a 3 goal lead.

Newbury were able to add a fourth goal in first half stoppage time, when Beesley found Creese in acres of space in the final third. She cut in with pace from the right and bore down on the Fleetlands goal. Her rifled shot from 6 yards beat the keeper at the near post. 4 nil now to Newbury as the Referee’s whistle not long after, signalled the half time break.

As expected, Fleetlands came out fighting at the start of the second half, playing with a lot more purpose and tempo. They forced two early corners and it was from the second corner that the visitors were awarded a penalty, after Creese was adjudged to have fouled the Fleetlands winger from behind when challenge inside the box. The penalty was duly dispatched and Fleetlands were on the score sheet, 4-1 now.

Shortly after, Fleetlands made the first substitution and the game was now more evenly matched, with both sides carving out openings. Sami Atkins was called upon to cover for Newbury deep in her own half, which she did superbly. After harassing the striker and showing good body strength, she regained possession and played a lovely ball forward into the left hand channel. Beesley was quick as lightening, as she beat the offside trap and left the Fleetlands defenders trailing in her wake. With only the goalkeeper to beat, she showed terrific composure to slot home and give her side a 5-1 lead on 67 minutes.

That was to be Atkins last contribution however, as she was withdrawn straight after and replaced with Laura Ainscough. Ten minutes later and Newbury made a double substitution, bringing on Gemma Burnett and Sam McConnon in place of Saunders and Creese. Within a minute, Beesley had played in Burnett on the right and her shot on target had the Fleetlands keeper scrambling, but she was still just able to parry the effort away. Fleetlands then quickly broke and went straight down the other end, earning a corner.

The delivery of the corner was a good one and but for McConnon on the far post, Fleetlands would have scored a second, but she was on hand to hook the ball off the line. The reprieve was short lived however, as the visitors played the ball wide and another cross was swung into the Newbury penalty area. It was met with a firm header back across goal from the unmarked Fleetlands forward and as Hunt slipped on her goal line, she was unable to adjust her body position in time to keep the effort out. It was a second goal for Fleetlands, but was too little too late, as it made no difference to the outcome of the match, with Newbury recording a comprehensive 5-2 victory in their last home match of the campaign.

Newbury Ladies FC now face their final three matches of the season on the road. They will continue their title charge this weekend when they travel to north Buckinghamshire to face current third placed side, Stony Stratford on Sunday 16th March, 2pm kick-off.

Newbury’s winning run now stretches to 9 league games and they sit 12 points clear at the top of the Southern Region Women’s Division One table. These are very exciting times for the club and certainly unprecedented, as they have never before been on the verge of promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern Region Women’s League.

Match report by Sue Hewett