They were made to work hard to secure the points needed to outdistance the last of their rivals by a spirited Milton Keynes City team, who levelled the scores with fifteen minutes to go, threatening to delay the champagne celebrations. Fittingly a superb late strike by skipper, Leanne Creese, saw the visitors home and ensured a happy Newbury squad could enjoy their moment of triumph at Tattenhoe Lane playing fields.

In truth, only a disaster would have prevented Newbury from winning the league after such a stunning set of results, with Fleetlands needing seven wins out of seven and Newbury to lose their final two matches for their huge lead to be overturned. With a strong wind blowing down the pitch, both teams took a while to settle, the only threats at either end coming from well delivered corners causing last ditch defending in the opening ten minutes.

Gradually Newbury started to threaten the City goal from open play. Leanne Saunders had a long range effort well held by the City goalkeeper, who was then quick off her line to clear from Nicole Beesley, who had burst through for Newbury. Ellie Reed got in a powerful header from a Creese corner, but again the City keeper showed good handling on 26 minutes. At the other end, Chloe Hunt was tested in the Newbury goal from 20 yards.

Newbury nearly took the lead as first the goalkeeper then covering defender did well to block goal-bound efforts on 36 minutes. However the best move of the half saw Newbury in front four minutes later. A lovely pass by Rachel Panting released Reed on the left and her low cross was turned in from close range by marauding full back, Lorna Parr.

Reed nearly doubled the lead from outside the area moments later, but the ball struck the bar. Newbury more than deserved their half time lead, but they would have preferred the cushion of a second goal. It wasn’t to be and one nil was the half time score.

The hard fought nature of the match continued and it was not until the hour that Newbury’s Sam Atkins went close with a shot just over the bar. Beesley then attempted to lob the keeper, but the ball fell agonisingly wide of goal. This was proving a good spell for Newbury, but still they couldn’t increase their lead. Panting also fired a cross-shot just inches wide of the far post, before the home side began to find some momentum of their own.

City worked a good opening for one of their midfielders, but Hunt did brilliantly to block her shot at the edge of the area. Encouraged by this, the hosts started to build more pressure and a run and cross by Shannon Brown brought about the equaliser. With Hunt under pressure and challenged for the ball, it looped up and sailed into the roof of the net on 75 minutes.

Both teams went for the victory as the clock wound down, but it was a fine moment of quality which settled the match. There seemed little danger when Creese received the ball 40 yards from goal on the right. Cutting infield past one challenge, the Newbury skipper worked enough space to hit a drive, which flew into the bottom right corner of the City net from 25 yards for the winning goal. Not for the first time this season had Creese proved to be the match winner. 2-1 now to Newbury with just 12 minutes left.

It was now just a case of seeing the match out and Newbury did this intelligently, running the ball into the corners and not allowing City a sniff of possession. When the Referee’s whistle blew for full time, it was the queue for Newbury’s joyous celebrations, with plenty of champagne corks popping and the bubbly flowing. After several years in Division One in which they have not challenged for promotion, Newbury will get to test themselves regularly next season against local teams, such as Basingstoke Town, Aldershot Town, Maidenhead United, Bracknell Town, Andover New Street and Oxford City.

Reporter Patrick Higgins womenssoccerscene.co.uk