Date: Sunday 3rd September 2023

Location: New Lodge Stadium, Billericay

After victory in the FAWNL Cup last weekend, the girls went into this game full of confidence. Both Angelina Nixon and Ebony Wiseman came back into the starting line-up, whilst there was a debut for Samantha Curwood-Wagner at right back.

Despite the heat, the game started fast. Within six minutes, Borough had already hit the Billericay crossbar, before two consecutive corners were eventually dealt with by the hosts. Shortly after, Billericay had their first chance of the game. After a quick breakaway, no one was able to get on the end of a low cut back across goal.

After exchanging some half-chances, Borough had the best opportunity of the half after 20 minutes. Some excellent football in midfield, before releasing Katy Morris on goal, was only stopped by a brilliant sliding tackle.

Borough kept pushing for the remainder of the half. We registered a handful of shots but failed to really test Baker in the opposition goal.

The second-half that followed was an excellent advert for the National League! After poking home a scrappy corner and taking the lead in the 56^th minute, Billericay doubled their advantage on the hour mark. The girls faced a massive uphill task at this point.

Having said this, Borough responded brightly. Potts and Wiseman flashed shots over the Billericay bar, before Greenslade pulled a goal back after 70 minutes – game on! Lee Burch made three changes following the goal – Milner, S. Morris and Essam replaced Curwood-Wagner, Malone and Walker.

We continued to push and, with just two minutes of normal time remaining, we were level. Greenslade had got her second of the afternoon, after drilling a shot low into the far corner.

Despite the equaliser, both sides continued with the attacking football we had seen all afternoon. At one end, Lucy Whipp almost put us ahead, before Billericay had an excellent chance of their own. The attacker had rounded Foley, only to be denied on the line by Milner.

The final chance of the game fell to Borough and Angelina Nixon. She received the ball on the right, cut inside and curled a left footed effort across the face of the goal and into the bottom corner. We had won it!

After such a dominant first-half display, Borough will have felt aggrieved to go behind and certainly didn’t deserve to be 2-0 down after an hour. The grit and determination that followed was great to see, and to win it at the death topped off a very exciting game of football.

POTM: Lily Greenslade

Rugby Borough: Foley, Mann, Malone (S. Morris 78), Nixon, Greenslade, Wiseman, Walker (Essam 78), Potts (Winters 90+4), Whipp, K. Morris, Curwood-Wagner (Milner 74).