| Top of the table Moneyfield again provided the opponents in the reverse league fixture in what might be the last game for some time due to the closdown of all women's competitive games. Moneyfield kicked off with Newbury playing uphill and into the wind. Moneyfield got their first shot in within one miniute and the initial play was all in the Newbury half but after 4 minutes Newbury had a good break down the left involving Reed, Kinder-Parr and Da Silva but the Moneyfield defence was able to prevent both Chitolie and Da Sliva getting shots in.
Moneyfield were dominating the attacking but Newbury were getting the occassional break. Moneyfield had a long free kick and corner which were well defended but on 13 minutes Moneyfield had a corner on the left which was struck home from 10 yards on the far post, by an unmarked attacker. for the first goal. For the next 15 minutes Moneyfield were constantly on the attack with the wind and slope making it very difficult for Newbury to escape their own half. However the defence stood firm and Moneyfields finishing let them down with shots into the side netting and over the bar. No doubt the pressure the Newbury defence was applying was causing this. After 27 mins Newbury did break out again down the left and this led to a long shot by full back Hanson which unfortunately was wide of the goal.
Newbury were now coming much more into the game. A cross by Da Silve was headed out for a corner on the right taken by Chitolie to Kinder-Parr at the far post who headed the ball just to the wrong side of the post. The game was much more even now with attacks at both ends. The five minutes before half time saw Newbury's bext chances . A free kick by Saunders on halfway saw a Da Silva shot saved, Reed had a long shot at the keeper and another really good move saw a diagonal cross by Chitolie to Baker who was on the far post ruled offside. On the stroke of haltime another break got the ball to Reed who was also ruled offside.
The second half started in an even manner with both teams having opportunities but it was Moneyfield who capitalised with a cross from the right and a shot close in that just went over line line having struck the underside of the bar to make the score 2-0. This really livened up Moneyfield and goalkeeper Davis-Donne was now really being called into action with a string of excellent saves.
Newbury recovered from this pressure and Da Silva then had Newbury's best chances in the game with two one on one situations with the keeper who it is fair to say made two outstanding saves. These were followed almost imediately by a bad backpass by the Moneyfield defender who was under pressure. The ball tricked agonisingly just past the undefended post.
Davis-Donne was called on to make more saves, one particuarly exceptional struck very hard from point blank range. However at this point the Newbury players were running out of steam. No criticism could be made of their efforts but the were finally sucumbing to the power and strength of the Moneyfield attackers. On 71 minutes Moneyfield scored their third. Their final 2 goals on 86 and 89 minutes gave them a healthy victory but this really didn't reflect the overall performance of the Newbury players who had fought with great determination against the undefeated team at the top of the table.
Match report by Jack Harkness
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