Date: Sunday 27^th August 2023

The girls went into this Determining Round FAWNL Cup fixture in high spirits, after last weekend’s opening day victory against London Bees. Lee Burch made four changes to the starting line-up, which saw Demi Walker and Sarah Essam come in to make their debuts for the club. They replaced Ebony Wiseman and Angelina Nixon who reverted to the bench, whilst Saskia Morris and Liv Milner were unavailable.

The first-half was a fairly even affair, with Borough creating a handful of half-chances. The best of the half fell to Winters, who got on the end of a Potts corner, but headed wide of the far post.

One change at the interval saw Nixon replace Essam, who was immediately involved in the action. Her shot in the 47th minute was a sign of things to come, as Borough stepped it up in the second-half. Minutes later, after a loose ball in midfield was picked up by Morris, Borough probably should have gone ahead. She slipped Greenslade in on goal, who opened up her body, but couldn’t direct her shot inside of the far post.

In the 69th minute, the deadlock was broken. Some excellent defensive tracking by Potts, before a brilliant clearance set Borough on the attack. Nixon squared it to Greenslade, who tapped in her rebounded effort, after a great first save by the Haywards Heath goalkeeper.

10 minutes later it was two. Malone put an early cross into the penalty area, where Potts was waiting to take advantage of a goalkeeper error.

The two teams exchanged chances with 10 minutes to go, with Haywards Heath having their best chance of the afternoon. A strike from distance had Foley backpedalling, but the shot nestled on the roof of the net.

Borough scored their third and fourth in stoppage time, with the game seeing seven minutes added on. Wiseman made it three with a really composed finish into the far corner, before Greenslade doubled her tally moments later.

A professional performance from the girls, who deservedly advance to the next round of the cup.

POTM: Lily Greenslade

Rugby Borough: Foley, Mann, Winters (Wiseman 58), Malone, Greenslade, Walker, Potts, Brooks (Biggin 85), Whipp, Morris, Essam (Nixon 45).