Having scraped a narrow win over the same opposition last week, Boro were expecting a tight game and so it proved as the game produced few clear cut chances for either side. After falling behind, Boro were awarded a penalty and although top scorer Shannon Simpson saw her effort saved, Lafaurie-Tull was on hand to fire home the rebound for her first goal in blue and gold.

The Belles will wrap up their season with a home fixture against Toby FC this Sunday.

Scorer: Francisca Lafaurie-Tull

Squad: E Doyle-Love, E Beard, S Lakes, C Eastwell, P Saviciute, V Stuart, K Shanahan, A Lafaurie-Tull, F Lafaurie-Tull, S Simpson (c), L Tomms, C Fenton

Under 16’s

Barking 1 - 1 Romford (Game 1)
Barking 1 - 0 Romford (Game 2)

Mid season weather problems meant that our under 16’s had to travel to unbeaten league leaders Barking for a double header at the Lawtech Stadium.

With injuries robbing them of six players including their keeper, the under strength Belles were huge underdogs against a team who recently made the London cup final and are closing in on the championship. However, they produced two outstanding performances to bring home a point.

Holly Winser took the gloves but was largely untroubled as the back three of Aliya Sambani, Izzy Kearns and Alessandra Okonta produced an outstanding defensive display. In the early exchanges Barking threatened from set pieces, while Boro saw Charlotte Walsh fire over from outside the box. The visitors continued to sit deep and frustrate Barking, so it was disappointing to concede the opener from a set piece. With just two minutes to go before half time, a low corner eluded three Boro players and was scrambled home by Aniela Eiffert for her first of the season.

After the break, Boro were an increasing threat and Tabitha Hellen was only denied by an exceptional save from Kira Honour. Boro then looked certain to score when Walsh and Hellen combined to find Lily Stuart-Evans unmarked in the box, but her effort flashed narrowly wide. Undeterred, Romford continued to battle and notched a deserved equaliser when the home defence dithered over an Erin Pitney through ball and the talismanic Hellen skipped past the keeper to fire home her 16th of the season.

The resolute Belles held firm for the remainder of the match to pick up a point, marking only the second league match all season from which the hosts have failed to pick up a win.

The second match followed a largely similar pattern to the first, with Barking dominating possession but failing to create many chances of note until Winser produced a fine save to tip a long range effort on to the bar from the leagues top scorer, Brooke Haylock. The breakthrough would again come just before half time when the excellent Niamh Callaghan combined superbly with Haylock to burst through and trickle her finish agonisingly past Winser and off the post for the only goal of the game.

Romford fought back again after half time and Pitney found Lainey Norris with a superb through ball but she was thwarted by a last ditch tackle. The resulting corner from Walsh flashed right across the face of goal with no touch applied. With Mia Murray and Evie Matthews producing heroic efforts to drive them forward, the Belles finished the game on the front foot but were unable to fashion an equaliser as they fell to a brave defeat.

Manager James Kearns was upbeat after a sterling display, saying “I couldn’t be prouder of the girls and how they played. We had a number missing, one of our best players in goal in Holly and Darcie Colkett playing out of position all day. Chloe Bramley, Lainey Norris and Ale Okonta all had restrictions on their minutes due to injuries and they were still excellent. I couldn’t have asked any more and on another day I think maybe Lily’s effort goes in and we’re talking about a famous win. As it was, they did brilliantly against the team who may yet win the league”

Things don’t get any easier for Romford as they line up against second placed Bowers and Pitsea at Westlands on May 5th.

Scorer: Tabitha Hellen

Squad: H Winser, E Matthews, A Sambani (c), I Kearns, A Okonta, D Colkett, E Pitney, M Murray, C Walsh, L Norris, T Hellen: L Stuart-Evans, C Bramley

Player of the Match: Aliya Sambani (Game 1) and Alessandra Okonta (Game 2)