Angels Ladies moved to the top of the Kent Division 1 with a 6-0 win at home to Teynham Gunners.
The match was over as a contest by half-time as the hosts raced into a 5-0 lead at the break. Lauryn Underhill got Tonbridge off to a perfect start, completing a well-worked move down the right with a close range finish at the far post after just two minutes. Underhill doubled the lead on 16 minutes, latching on to Maisie Gibb’s through ball with another calm finish.
The Angels were awarded a penalty for a pull-back on Megan Akehurst after 26 minutes, but Nancy Syrett was unfortunate to see her kick just miss the top corner by a fraction. Three minutes later the score was increased with Becky Janes finding the target. It was 4-0 after 35 minutes, Janes scoring her second with a lob over the keeper from Flo Anastasiou’s long pass.
A second penalty was awarded in the 39th minute, this time for a foul on Maisie Gibb, and Janes fired into the roof of the net to seal her hat-trick, with her seventh goal of the season.
With the wind and slope now in Angels favour, the visitors defended far more deeply throughout the second half, but there was just enough time for Underhill to score her first career hat-trick, exchanging passes with Akehurst before slotting home.
For the fourth time in five matches the Tonbridge defence, led by stand-in captain Sharon Lyons, put in a flawless performance to pick up another clean sheet.
In what is quickly becoming a three-horse race, leaders Long Lane lost at Thamesview allowing the Angels to go three points clear at the top, but both of Tonbridge’s rivals have a chance to make up ground next week while Tonbridge are without a league game. Instead the Ladies will host Burgess Hill Town at Tonbridge Farm for a friendly next Sunday, with a 2pm kick off.
Meanwhile the Ladies have again been handed a plum draw in the Isthmian Women’s Cup. Following on from last year’s visit to Tottenham Hotspur, the Angels were this time drawn away to Charlton Athletic, who are top of the FA Women’s Premier League South division with maximum points from seven games. A date for this match will be announced soon.
Team v Teynham: Wright, Anastasiou, Coulter, Akehurst, Lyons (capt), Fothergill, Gibb, Smith, Underhill, Janes, Syrett. Subs: Foster, Jarvis, Archer, Morrison.