It was now all Newbury and they had a further scoring chance through Noella Rodricks, who’s shot on target was charged down by a Warsash defender. Newbury did take the lead in the 23rd minute, when a defence splitting pass from Michelle Beverley, saw Newbury debutant, Rebecca Chitolie, tear into the penalty area to curl in a quality strike passed the despairing keeper. 2-1 now to Newbury.

As half time approached, a Newbury lapse in defence, gifted an opportunity to Warsash and they needed no second invitation to claim an equalising goal. And so the teams were tied 2-2 at the break.

Again, Newbury started the second half poorly and they found themselves behind after just two minutes, when Warsash scored their third goal of the game to re-take the lead. Again, Newbury were stung into action and they began producing some probing moves involving their scorers, Da Silva and Chitolie, who were also linking up superbly with skipper, Becky Anderson. But they found the Warsash keeper in inspired form. Then in the 65th minute, a rare Warsash break saw a Newbury player drawn into making a challenge inside the area. With no contact on the ball, the Referee had no hesitation in awarding the visitors a penalty. This would have given Warsash a 4-2 lead and a two goal cushion – but – the penalty was brilliantly saved by Erin Davis-Donne in the Newbury goal. She parried the shot and then her team mate cleared for a Warsash corner. It looked as if this was just the boost that Newbury needed, but Warsash did then score from the resultant corner and it was a huge blow for the home side, who now had a mountain to climb at 4 goals to 2 in Warsash’s favour.

Substitute Ellie Reed came closest to pulling a goal back for Newbury, when she just reached a through ball ahead of the Warsash keeper. But her poked finish was blocked and then the ricochet that came back again off Reed, spun agonisingly wide of the far post. There was further drama in the closing stages, as Warsash were able to score a fifth goal in the 88th minute, but then Tracey Beales did grab a further consolation goal for Newbury deep into stoppage time, on 93 minutes. As wonderful a strike as it was from Beales from distance, it was all too late for Newbury. The match ending with a thrilling 3-5 score-line, but sadly no points for Newbury Ladies.

Match report by Sue Hewett