Fulham Women 6-1 Aylesford LFC

There was nothing frightening about Fulham's performance this weekend as the team served up a treat for fans and tricked Aylesford during a six-goal rampage in the meeting of the two sides in the London and South East Regional Women’s League.

Within 45 minutes, the Whites had effectively closed down the game. Kate Foster, who looked threatening from the outset, and collecting a brace, scored early, in the 6^th minute and again in the 22^nd. Although Aylesford made an immediate reply to level the score eight minutes in, the opponents struggled to keep up their early pressure and soon lost momentum. 

Scoring on her full debut – and on her birthday – Emily Bird celebrated a superb goal from a corner in the 15^th minute to give Fulham their second of the match. The scoreline soon shifted again, when another set piece brought another goal, this time a rocket of a free kick from Gemma Taylor in the 39^th minute. Half-time beckoned but Fulham refused to let up. Georgia Heasman, working tirelessly on the right, scored a brilliant goal, her first for the club, in the 42^nd minute. The 5-1 half-time result didn’t begin to tell the whole story. The home side had multiple chances with Ellie Olds and Annie Thomas both coming close and threatening to make it a double-digit Fulham fairytale and a horror show for the visitors.

Aylesford came out battling in the second half and briefly troubled Edie Kelly but the fight was short lived. Fulham soon pushed play back up the field and for the next 20 minutes, had every player, bar Kelly, in the Aylesford half. Some halftime substitutions (Olds and Mary Southgate giving way to Helen Ogle and Sophie Modak) offered even further opportunities. Ogle took no time in adding her name to the scoresheet, collecting Fulham's sixth and creating a more-than-comfortable five goal lead. Still the chances kept on coming: Ogle, again, saw a driving shot go a fraction wide, while both Megalie Mendes and Oana Negrea came close in the 65^th and 70^th minute after some neat link up play with Heasman and Tessa Allen.

Becky Stormer made a late, outstanding run from the back, taking on Aylesford’s ailing midfield and defence and making a forceful shot, but her effort found the side netting. Aylesford found some breathing space in the closing minutes but their hard-fought corner came to nothing. Action soon returned to other end as did opportunities for Mendes, Ogle and Foster who peppered the goal with shots and continued to trouble the keeper, but Aylesford’s defence dug in to keep the scoreline at 6-1.

Fulham are next in league action when they travel to Dulwich Hamlets on Sunday 7^th November.