Boro women kicked off the season in fine style with a comfortable win versus newly promoted Dussindale & Hellesdon.
With runaway winners Real Bedford out of the equation, the division looks wide open for a number of teams to challenge so it was great to see so many players returning from last year’s impressive season.
Boro lined up:
Liamara Hensel-Berg; Summer Young; Connie Wakeford; Ellie Young; Emily Pickard; Chloe Ions; Erin Radburn; Kylie Manktelow; Jada Pollendine; Nellz Humes; Shawna Harvey
Subs: Emma Roberts (GK), Maizie Kelly, Martha MacDonald
The early stages did not suggest the game would turn out to be the one sided affair it became. In the opening 15 minutes, although Boro asserted the greater pressure both sides created chances. In fact, it was the visitors that went closest to scoring in this period. An attacker ran onto a through ball, outpacing the Boro defence. Liamara rushed off her line to close down and managed to deflect the resulting effort just wide of the upright. It was an important moent as a couple of minutes later Boro took the lead.
Kylie and Nellz combined with Chloe, and her ball in found Shawna central, 8 yards out with back to goal. Within an instant she’d controlled, swivelled and smashed a shot low past the keeper. From there, until half time it was pretty much one way traffic.
Shawna doubled the lead 10 minutes later after a clipped ball through from Kylie.
Then it was Kylie’s turn to rifle in a third just after the half hour, soon followed by Shawna’s hat-trick, Chloe again instrumental in the build up.
In between times the defence had snuffed out any sense that D&H might narrow the deficit, and midfield making sure Boro were always looking to get on the front foot.
And the rewards came before half time, with 2 more goals to make it 6.
For the fifth, Nellz, who had been a consistent threat on the left, crossed low, and although the initial shot was blocked, Shawna pounced on the rebound to tuck away her fourth of the half.
The exclamation mark was put on an impressive half in added time. Kylie, this time from the edge of the area, produced a rocket into the top corner, leaving the keeper stranded.
Despite the scoreline D&H seemed to regroup at half time and came out looking the more determined. Boro weren’t able to control possession quite as much as they had in the first 45 and both keepers were called on to make important saves and interventions from set pieces.
Eventually, the good chances Boro were creating were rewarded. On the hour Nellz got the goal her performance deserved, and 10 minutes later Jada was on hand to tuck into an empty net after Shawna’s shot was deflected.
Unlike the first half though D&H prevented Boro adding to their tally with sub keeper Emma making a couple of really notable saves, but as the half wore on looked increasingly likely to score.
Boro would have loved a clean sheet but it wasn’t to be. A corner to D&H as we headed into added time was tucked away at the far post.
All in all a very satisfactory afternoon’s work for Boro. D&H slightly lost their way towards the end of the first half but that was partly caused by Boro being very clinical and taking their chances
