Swindon Spitfires made it two wins on the bounce with a deserved 4-2 win over third-placed Downend Flyers to draw level on points with the Gloucestershire side in the South West Women’s League Premier Division.

On a heavy pitch Spitfires took just nine minutes to open their account when Emma Skinner found Ria Salleh on the edge of the 18 yard area who took the ball round the last defender before firing across keeper Faye Slade and into the far corner of the net.

Whilst Spitfires continued to press forward Downend caused little worry at the other end aside from dead-ball situations. Firstly Tamsin Kellett did well to tip a dipping free-kick from Mel Pickering over the bar on 16 minutes, and in the 28th minute Kate Michael put wide from another Downend free-kick.

But between times it was Spitfires who had the majority of the play with Salleh and Beth Turner giving them pace on the wings, and the strike partnership of Hayley Shipp and Karyn Coombs kept the visitors on the back-foot.

Spitfires’ second eventually came in the 36th minute when a Cara Costello throw-in found Skinner who reached the bye-line before driving a cross into the six yard box that hit Downend’s Danielle Beazer  diverting the cross into the goal at the near post.

Three minutes from the break, with Spitfires in control, it took a slip at the back to allow Downend a route back into the game. An attempted head back to Kellett by Costello fell short, and with no defensive cover on Michael was able to nip in and reduce the deficit.

After a series of Sammie Smith corners early in the second period Spitfires restored their two goal advantage seven minutes after the break when yet another Smith corner was met by the head of Debbie Rose, who directed the ball down and through a crowd of players.

And Spitfires made it 4-1 in the 68th minute when a Rose through ball fell kindly for Carla Compton to have a clear run at goal before calmly lifting the ball over the advancing keeper and into the unguarded net.

And that should have been that, but two minutes from time a shot from Downend’s Emilie Stephens hit a divot in front of the diving Kellett and bounced over her and into the net to make the final score rather closer than it should have been.

Meanwhile, in the Oxford Girls League Swindon Spitfires’ U15s travelled to Highworth for a local derby and returned victorious with a 2-0 win. The opening 5 minutes saw the home team press Spitfires, but without creating a clear chance, but gradually Spitfires took control of the game. However the only efforts of note were 2 trademark Meghan Larkin rifled shots, and a great flowing move involving Dani Granato, Poppy Cottrill, Amy Connaghan and Larkin that came to nothing.

The second half saw an improved Spitfires performance and they came close twice in the opening moments when Granato saw 2 shots drift wide of the post. Spitfires eventually took the lead from a corner which was whipped in low by Larkin and clipped home via the boot of Granato. Spitfires continued to press and brought 3 good saves from crisp shots but could not beat the home keeper until the home defence was split by an accurate through ball from Kat Reynolds which Larkin latched onto and drove through the home defence before scoring with aplomb.

Highworth came closest to scoring late into the second half only to see the ball drift wide with keeper Chloe Mason having it covered anyway. At the other end Spitfires’ Amy Connaghan rose to meet a corner but could only direct her header just wide of the post.

Elsewhere, Spitfires’ U13s won their Wiltshire League Cup quarter final 9-0 at Derry Hill with goals from Georgia Brown 3, Gipsy Viveash 3, Ashleigh Warwick 2, and Sophie Roberts. But the U12s lost out in their Oxford League Cup tie at Crowmarsh by 1-0, only their first defeat of the season.

Many thanks to Mike Skinner for the report.

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