Woking open up in style

Woking Ladies 7 Buckingham Athletic 0 Woking Ladies started their Thames Valley Counties League Division One season in great form, recording a 7-0 home victory over Buckingham Athletic at Frimley Green F.C.

Promoted as Division Two East Champions, Woking dominated from start to finish against a hard working Buckingham team, with five of their goals coming before the break.

The hosts had already created chances before the 12th minute opener when a JadeBarclay right side corner was headed in powerfully at the far post by Chelsea Goulter. A second soon followed when Ella Chandler was played in behind the defence to finish past Buckingham goalkeeper Dani Roberts.

Another pair of goals just before the half hour stretched the home advantage to four. A superb solo effort from Kaitlin Howard driving forward from her own half before finishing in style was followed by an unfortunate own goal from a dangerous low cross by Chandler from the right on 27 minutes.

Shelly Hankins added a fifth from Hannah Cooper's pass on 35 minutes to complete a dominant half for Woking.

Buckingham were forced to reshuffle at the break with no substitutes and Niki Ryan injured, but their ten players battled really well throughout the second half. Goalkeeper Roberts, who had a fine match, skipper Jade Copas and the other defenders repelled nearly everything that Woking threw at them.

Goulter scored her second with a fine half volley finish again from a corner for the sixth on 55 minutes but Buckingham never let their heads drop. kept competing all over the pitch and nearly notched a consolation with a fine curling effort in the 89th minute from Chelsea Markwell which flew inches wide of Roz Markham's goal.

Woking had the final word in dying seconds with another excellent goal, Barclay striking a 30-yard effort beyond Roberts to cap a fine performance from the whole team which must give the league newcomers a lot of confidence for the season ahead.

Woking Ladies: Roz Markham, Kate Davies, Kaitlin Howard, Allie Gilbert, Jade Barclay, Hannah Cooper, Chelsea Goulter, Ella Chandler, Louise Withers, Shelley Hankins, Sian Hardaker.

Buckingham Athletic: Dani Roberts, Jade Copas, Chelsea Markwell, Sam Jolley, Courtney Crawley, Kym Gillard, Ellie Jenkins-Scott, Stacey Carter, Niki Ryan, Lucy Ellis, Lottie Scarr .

Report by Patrick Higgins