Newbury started positively, with Bec Walker winning a corner in the opening three minutes. Inside the box, Ayala Truelove got her head to the set play, but was unable to direct her effort on target. Newbury soon had a second corner, with an initial clearance falling back to Ellie Reed, who whipped in a fierce shot that was just wide of the far post. Then some strong MK City defending was required to deny Gemma Burnett the chance to get a shot away, when she was well found by a Shelly Forster through ball. After just 11 minutes, Newbury were forced into an early substitution when Walker was temporarily dazed after taking a ball to the face. She was replaced by Becky Anderson.

As the first half unfolded, the pattern of play was more even, with both sides creating chances. The match was a great footballing advert for the Premier Division of the Southern Region Women’s League. Amy McNab was introduced up front for Newbury after 34 minutes, with Burnett withdrawn. And McNab had an instant impact. It was after her good work that Newbury won a corner. Again, Captain Reed took the set piece and she again found the head of Truelove. This time she headed back across goal, where McNab made an instinctive reflex header from point blank range. But somehow the MK City goalkeeper was equal to it and she also showed amazing reflexes to palm the effort away, when it had looked to be a certain goal for Newbury.

Then on the stroke of half time, MK City worked a great chance, when a long range shot from the right flank looked to evade Newbury’s keeper. Fortunately for Newbury, the ball skimmed the top of the cross bar and sailed behind to safety. It remained nil, nil at half time.

The second half began with another Newbury substitution, with Walker re-introduced and Anderson making way. Again, much of the second period proved to be a well matched contest between two very even teams, but Newbury were just shading it, having slightly the better chances. As the clock ticked down and the score-line was still goal-less, Newbury were looking for some inspiration and to go up a gear in tempo. They turned to Burnett, who went onto the right in place of Walker in the 72nd minute. Strike partner, McNab, was performing heroically for Newbury. She was without doubt back to her best and was causing all sorts of problems for the MK City back line. They just didn’t seem to know how to deal with her power and movement. She was being kicked up in the air time and again, which resulted in a number of free kicks for Newbury in dangerous areas. Then in the 80th minute, McNab was released on the left and was bearing down on the MK City goal. With Burnett running into the area from the right, McNab sent in a great cross that needed to be dealt with. The MK centre half swung a leg at the ball, as she was facing her own goal. The ball spun up off the defender and looped skyward. With MK’s keeper back tracking towards her own goal-line, the ball came down just under the cross bar and nestled into the empty net. It was an own goal, but it was a goal that Newbury’s progressive play deserved. And whilst there was a significant amount of additional time to be added on, on top of the remaining ten minutes, Newbury were delighted to have finally taken a one nil lead.

Newbury’s organised team then defended solidly, just as they had done all match and they managed the closing stages superbly. McNab was eventually replaced to great applause in the 96th minute, with Anderson on to help shore up matters for the last two minutes. There was Newbury joy on the final whistle, as they secured the one nil victory and another well earned 3 points. The win saw them move up to second in the Southern Region Women’s Premier Division table, on 14 points, just one point now behind league leaders, Chesham United, who Newbury will travel to face in the next game

Match report by Sue Hewett