Lucy O'Brien netted her first career hat-trick as Town cruised past Keynsham Town 5-2 at the AJN Stadium on Sunday.
Paige Peake opened the scoring for the Tractor Girls inside in the first ten minutes before O'Brien netted twice prior to half-time. Keynsham were given a lifeline just after the break following an unfortunate own-goal from Abbie Lafayette but O'Brien restored the three-goal cushion soon after. The hosts found a second goal against the run of play through Laura William but it was a mere consolation as Anna Grey completed the scoring two minutes from time.
Town came flying out of the blocks straight away and got themselves ahead early on as Lafayette's corner was glanced into the far corner by the head of Peake. The Blues continued to pile on the pressure as Maddie Biggs went close to doubling Town's lead before O'Brien turned the ball past Charlotte Haynes after meeting Peake's flick on from another Lafayette corner. The chances continued to stack up, with Natasha Thomas going close on two occasions before O'Brien found a deserved third for the Tractor Girls. Thomas broke into the area and squared the ball for O'Brien, who found the back of the net after a quick shift onto her left foot. O'Brien almost returned the favour for Thomas in the latter stages of the half but Haynes somehow kept out the subsequent shot with her legs.
Keynsham were given a lifeline just seconds after the restart as Town conceded an unfortunate own-goal. Sarah Quantrill looked to punch away a cross from the left-hand side but the ball ricocheted off the face of Lafayette and subsequently dropped into the net. However, the hosts brief spell of resistance would soon be broken as O'Brien secured her first senior hat-trick. After a neat interchange between O'Brien and Zoe Barratt, the young midfielder received the ball on the half-turn before beating two defenders with quick footwork and rifled high over the head of Haynes to restore the Blues' cushion.
The hosts netted themselves an unlikely second against the run of play with nine minutes to go as Henna Butcher raced through and rattled the post, with the ball falling perfectly for William to fire through the fingertips of Quantrill with a half-volley. Despite conceding two goals against the run of play, Town weren't phased and went on to score a deserved fifth. After O'Brien's shot was saved by Haynes, Thomas retrieved the rebound before teeing up Grey to skip into the area and fire into the far corner for her first goal since returning from injury.
Town remain top of the FAWNL Southern Premier Division table ahead of Wednesday night's game at home to Gillingham.
Town: Quantrill, Hughes, Smith (Egan), Peake, Lafayette, Hubbard, Horwood (c) (King), Robertson (Grey), O'Brien, Biggs (Barratt), Thomas.
Unused: L. Jackson
Town came flying out of the blocks straight away and got themselves ahead early on as Lafayette's corner was glanced into the far corner by the head of Peake. The Blues continued to pile on the pressure as Maddie Biggs went close to doubling Town's lead before O'Brien turned the ball past Charlotte Haynes after meeting Peake's flick on from another Lafayette corner. The chances continued to stack up, with Natasha Thomas going close on two occasions before O'Brien found a deserved third for the Tractor Girls. Thomas broke into the area and squared the ball for O'Brien, who found the back of the net after a quick shift onto her left foot. O'Brien almost returned the favour for Thomas in the latter stages of the half but Haynes somehow kept out the subsequent shot with her legs.
Keynsham were given a lifeline just seconds after the restart as Town conceded an unfortunate own-goal. Sarah Quantrill looked to punch away a cross from the left-hand side but the ball ricocheted off the face of Lafayette and subsequently dropped into the net. However, the hosts brief spell of resistance would soon be broken as O'Brien secured her first senior hat-trick. After a neat interchange between O'Brien and Zoe Barratt, the young midfielder received the ball on the half-turn before beating two defenders with quick footwork and rifled high over the head of Haynes to restore the Blues' cushion.
The hosts netted themselves an unlikely second against the run of play with nine minutes to go as Henna Butcher raced through and rattled the post, with the ball falling perfectly for William to fire through the fingertips of Quantrill with a half-volley. Despite conceding two goals against the run of play, Town weren't phased and went on to score a deserved fifth. After O'Brien's shot was saved by Haynes, Thomas retrieved the rebound before teeing up Grey to skip into the area and fire into the far corner for her first goal since returning from injury.
Town remain top of the FAWNL Southern Premier Division table ahead of Wednesday night's game at home to Gillingham.
Town: Quantrill, Hughes, Smith (Egan), Peake, Lafayette, Hubbard, Horwood (c) (King), Robertson (Grey), O'Brien, Biggs (Barratt), Thomas.
Unused: L. Jackson
