Seventh Heaven for Ladies

Herne Bay FC Ladies (3) 7
Sophie Gifford 2, 14, 26, 51, 57, 64
Ashleigh Brooks 72

Ashford Ladies (0) 0

Pre Season Fixture
Sunday 19th August 2018
at Winch's Field

Attendance: 52

(photo: Sophie Gifford completes the perfect double hat-trick)

Well then? Where to begin? This was about as complete a victory as any team anywhere could have hoped for, writes Peter Guise. When these two met at the tail end of last season in a double header it was showdown time to avoid releagation for both. Two draws that day salvaged Ashford's status but Bay have strengthened and Sophie Gifford's double hat-trick set Winch's Field alight, metaphorically, exacting retribution for that fateful day a few months past.

Before the half hour mark the match had been won and Gifford had already bagged one hat-trick. Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch Rachel Tracy unveiled a faultless display in goal, no easy task when the times she was called into action were few and far between. The second period delivered much of the same with Sophie Gifford scoring a further three goals to complete the perfect double hat-trick and Ashleigh Brooks netting with one that crept in at the near post from an acute angle. It might have been more had the Ashford 'keeper not pulled off a stunning save to tip Asmaa Hatim's scorching strike over the bar.

"We were excellent in all departments today", said manager Peter Whitaker, "we were on it from the first whistle, playing some lovely football, and Sophie's performance was top class. We needed that after last week's defeat had brought us back down to earth".

Herne Bay FC Ladies: Rachel Tracy (GK), Lucy Page, Kayleigh Mount, Megan Pearce, Kerry Grant, Kate Foster (capt), Emma Brown, Saraya Phillips, Sophie Gifford, Lauren Harris, Asmaa Hatim.

Roll On / Roll Off Substitues: Isabelle Quinney, Ashleigh Brooks, Rosie Hague.

Player of the Match: Sophie Gifford