Southend & Benfleet – 3 (Kirsty Edmunds 1, Sarah Conway 1, Nicola Bryant 1)
Chelmsford 3rd XI – 3

Southend and Benfleet 1s first game in the Premier Division saw them hosting Chelmsford 3s. As the match began both teams seemed evenly matched and it was clear from the outset that play would bounce from one end of the pitch to the next. It wasn’t long however, before S&B's forward line, consisting of last season’s top goal scorer Kirsty Edmunds, along with two debuting powerhouses, Sarah Conway and Ashlie Coleman, put pressure on the Chelmsford defence and after taking on the goalie head to head in her trademark fashion, Edmunds scored S&B first goal of the season. Chelmsford heads dropped for a moment and S&B capitalised swarming the visitors' D looking for a quick second goal, in the mass of bodies the ball found its way on to Conway who expertly flicked the ball over the goalie making the score 2-0. Chelmsford fought back though and held the ball firmly in S&B's half for a time before a foul in the S&B D meant that Chelmsford won a short corner; with an unstoppable strike the visitors powered the ball into the bottom corner and they began to claw back the score. Despite phenomenal work in centre midfield by Adele Cole, S&B were unable to extend their lead further before Chelmsford managed to draw level with a speedy breakaway of their own, making the score 2-2 at half time.

It was anyone’s game it seemed as play resumed but S&B managed to pull ahead as they were awarded a short corner and after a scrappy battle with the Chelmsford goalie and defender, Nicola Bryant managed to sneak the ball past the backline to make the score 3-2. S&B held onto their lead for the majority of the second half as expertly timed tackles from Nicola Coleman kept Chelmsford at bay, whilst great defensive work on short corners from Jodie Linge saw the ball being swept away from the S&B goal mouth. S&B had plenty of breaks and whilst cross after cross made it passed the visitor’s goal, S&B couldn’t find the end of a S&B stick in the D to finish it off and increase the goal difference. It was in the last few minutes of the game that Chelmsford came back with a vengeance that saw them bagging a third goal to draw the score level once more before the final whistle blew, the final score S&B – 3, Chelmsford – 3.

Player of the match was Kirsty Edmunds and whilst it was a tough game and they didn’t get the first win that they desired, S&B performed solidly and seemed ready to rise to the occasion and to dominate the Essex Premier Division this season. New captain Rachel Jeffery said "It was a good start to the Prem and we were unlucky not to come away with all three points."