Prior to kick-off, Winchester City Flyers occupied fourth spot in the Southern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division after picking up points in three of their last four games, with their only defeat coming against second-placed AFC Portchester.
Meanwhile, Woodley United occupied the second relegation spot, having picked up just a solitary point since the start of the season.
Despite the wet and windy conditions, Flyers made an explosive start, immediately putting Woodley United under pressure in their defensive half. After 25 minutes of sustained pressure in Woodley’s half, the Flyers broke the deadlock when a brilliant ball from Hay found the feet of Wilkinson.
Libby Wilkinson’s 25th-minute header set the tone for Winchester City Flyers and following a brief spell of possession for Woodley and an early substitution, the Flyers struck again. An attempted defensive clearance went wrong, allowing Chelsie Hay to capitalise and tap the ball into the bottom corner.
Flyers continued to dominate possession, creating several more chances before Hay drew the goalkeeper out and squared the ball to Whitlock, who produced a neat finish to make it 3-0.
Woodley’s afternoon got worse just a minute later when Hay found the bottom corner once again in the 44th minute, completing her brace and sending the Flyers into half-time with a commanding 4-0 lead.
Flyers refused to let the second-half conditions slow them down. A great ball from Emma Whitlock found Annie Northwood, who produced a brilliant long-range effort to make it 5-0.
With both sides making further substitutions, the game became increasingly frustrating as chances came and went at both ends, but neither side could add to the scoreline.
After 90 minutes, Woodley United finally found a way through as Ella Traynor-Smith capitalised on a lapse in the Flyers’ defence to pull one back. However, it was too little, too late, as Winchester City Flyers secured a convincing 5-1 home victory.
Despite taking a commanding 4-0 lead into the break, manager Emma Pearmine was far from satisfied with the performance, describing it as “very much below par, but job done.”
Winchester City Flyers: Eleanor Parker (GK), Laura Vokes, Lydia Moulding, Libby Wilkinson, Chelsie Hay, Annie Northwood, Emma Whitlock, Francesca Thornton, Abbie Green, Isabella Carugati, Chloe Tucker
Substitutes: Charlotte Warhurst, Freya Twigg, Emily Wernham, Emily McDonough
Woodley United: Amy Whale (GK), Lauren Evans, Zuzanna Gajzler, Molly Kilminster, Olivia Lewendon, Abi Mann, Samantha Sehejpal, Holly Sharp, Abbie Thorne, Ella Traynor Smith, Sophie White
Substitutes: Hannah Dawes, Codi Potter
