Goals either side of half time, put Newbury firmly in charge of the contest and they cruised into a three nil lead on 51 minutes. Then the match changed on a highly controversial decision, when the visitors were awarded a spot kick. Having pulled a goal back to make it 3-1, Ascot’s players had the momentum and they forced a Newbury own goal soon after, to put the match in the balance again at 3-2.

Newbury made sure of the points and the victory however, when Beales scored her second and Newbury’s fourth of the afternoon in the 79th minute.

Whilst it may be too early to say whether Newbury can mount a serious promotion challenge, confidence in the camp is certainly high and the performances in their three league games so far have been full of promise. They remain unbeaten since the opening day, with two wins and one draw.

Match Report by Sue Hewett