Southend and Benfleet 1s – 2 (Kendal Coleman 1, Ashlie Bolton 1)
Havering 1s – 3

Southend and Benfleet hosted Havering 1s, traditionally these clubs have always been evenly matched with wins recorded on both sides. As play began S&B seemed to be on top of the opposition, with a few early chances just slipping off the back line. Havering were quick on the break away and were seen on several occasions thundering down the pitch to challenge the S&B defence, but all chances were cut short by the defensive duo of Kendal Coleman and Nina Dabbs. It wasn’t long before Kirsty Edmunds was running the length of the pitch, beating the Havering defence, before she slotted the ball back to the penalty spot, where there was a scuffle in front of the Havering goal for the ball but it was Kendal Coleman that jabbed the ball over the line to give S&B the first goal of the game. Havering came back hard and it was truly a game of short corners with penalty after penalty being awarded to both sides. Unfortunately for S&B, it was Havering who were able to capitalise on the short corners they were given, as the ball hit S&B defenders bodies on the line they were awarded a penalty flick, not just once but on two occasions, and both were converted into goals for Havering taking the score quickly to 2-1 just before half time.

After the break, it was anyone’s game, both teams were rejuvenated and hungry for the next goal. Havering were still fast on the attack but most were quickly cut off by the diving Jodie Linge or saved by S&B goalie Kate Keppel. Play pinged from one end of the pitch to the other with Nicola Bryant being the conduit in the centre of the pitch to force the ball out to the wings or up to the forwards to drive at goal. S&B’s second goal started with a hit out from Dabbs, which would land with Edmunds on the wing, for her to run the full length of the pitch to slip it to Ashlie Bolton who’d beat the Havering keeper and reverse stick flick it into the goal, drawing S&B level. However, without a substitution as play continued S&B were flagging and Havering would keep up the pressure until their tenacity would pay off and they would weave it past all the S&B players, beat the goalie and poke the ball over the line to make the score 3-2. S&B would fight on until the end, the attacks from Havering didn’t let up, however the skills of Rachel Jeffery and Ellen Taylor, working together on the left, would close down Havering’s advances and win the ball to push it through midfield and see Bolton and Sarah Conway drive for the Havering goal giving S&B several attempts to draw level but it was all to no avail as the final whistle blew, with player of the match being awarded to Kendal Coleman and Kirsty Edmunds.

This week’s loss pushes S&B to 9th in the table, but still clear of 10th place by 7 points. Next week S&B 1s face 7th place Redbridge and Ilford 1s at home.