Stevenage FCW won by a scoreline of six goals to two at The County Ground for the second successive game as they defeated Bowers & Pitsea to enter the top half of the table for the first time in 2024. Braces from Amy Makewell and Matilda Thomas-O’Keefe were accompanied by singles from Rebecca Edge and Amy Gooderham to ensure Boro’ maintained an unbeaten start to the calendar year.
It was a fast start from Stevenage, who bossed the opening forty-five minutes. It took just three for the first goal of the game. Mark Howard called for the free kick after a innocuous trip on Hannah Bodily by Libby Cooper. Makewell stepped up to take the set piece as Katie Quinn took a step forward and the ball looped over her head and into the net.
Boro’ maintained their superiority and their advantage thanks to a neat bit of defending by Grace Brooks as the ball appeared to come off her heel as she covered her angles with O’Brien closing down Millie Isherwood.
However, after just eighteen minutes, Boro’ had doubled the lead. A corner from Kelsey Millen was met by Edge, who had judged the flight of the ball to perfection, nodding the ball down to the ground and over the line.
It was Isherwood who came the closest to scoring for Bowers in the first half and she did so with an outstanding run into space down the right. Her shot across goal, from level with the six-yard box and on the edge of the eighteen-yard box, flashed beyond the far post with nobody able to add the finishing touch.
It was a warning sign, but the game entered a period of few gilt-edged chances until just before the fortieth minute. Makewell was integral to the build-up, but it was superb attacking play from Stevenage. Bodily set up Thomas-O’Keefe with a neat little through ball, but the young striker shot straight at Quinn who could only parry the ball to the feet of Natalie Strange and Ruby Fisher who combined to clear the ball back to Thomas-O’Keefe. She made no mistake at the second attempt as she rolled the ball into the net.
Time added on rolled around and both teams looked set to go in with a three-goal differential. Thomas-O’Keefe had other ideas. A superb cross from Lilia Dempsey saw Thomas-O’Keefe steal in front of Olivia Bilson to poke the ball home from close range. Boro’ were four clear and it was hard to begrudge the team their lead.
Half time saw the welcome return of Anna Baker-Re to the Boro’ team as she replaced Chloe Gunn but for as well as Stevenage had played the first half, concentration slipped just sixty seconds into the second. Bodily was penalised for a trip in the centre circle. Bilson sent in the free kick which Olivia Harris was allowed to greet unmarked as she helped it over O’Brien, who did get gloves to it, and into the net.
Stevenage were stung, but the four goal advantage was restored within two minutes. Isabella Darby caught the heel of Dempsey and Mark Howard pointed to the spot. Makewell stepped up to fire a powerful shot to Quinn’s right that will have scorched her fingertips as she guessed the correct way, but was powerless to stop the inevitable outcome.
There was a slight lull in the proceedings as we saw Darby booked and a host of substitutions, but the crowd were cheering again just past the hour mark. Quinn deflected Sophie Hendy’s effort as she raced out to meet her and the ball rippled the net. The crowd went wild before realising they had been duped by the angles as the ball had gone over and landed behind for a corner.
Bilson may be deemed fortunate to not have been penalised for a handball as Bodily claimed. The ball did strike the arm as she turned, but Howard had a good view and waved away the protest. Within two minutes Bilson had reduced the arrears to three again. A Nicole Farmer free kick was headed down for Bilson to volley home from twelve yards out.
There was never any danger that Boro’ would give away their lead however, and the gloss was restored in the last minute of the ninety. Excellent work by Kristal Clarke in the middle of the pitch, showcasing some superb ball control, saw a neat ball to Gooderham who initially tried to feed Niamh Day. Farmer was able to quash that attack, but only succeeded in laying the ball back to Gooderham, who had cleverly continued her run into the box, and the forward stroked the ball through Quinn’s legs.
It was a deserved victory for Boro’ and one that put them into sixth place and away from the shenanigans at the bottom of the table. With just six points separating second to sixth, not discounting Luton’s mountain of games in hand, there may still be an opportunity for a good league placement for the girls in red and white.
Stevenage XI – O’Brien, Nebbitt, Brooks, Edge, Schofield, Gunn, Bodily, Makewell, Dempsey, Thomas-O’Keefe, Millen
Subs: Day, Clarke, Gooderham, Baker-Re, Hendy
Goals: Makewell x 2, Thomas O’Keefe x 2, Edge, Gooderham
Bowers & Pitsea XI – Quinn, Strange, Bilson, Cooper, Darby, Drewitt, Isherwood, Locke, Farmer, Harris, Powell
Subs: Bardsley, Elmes, Fisher
Goals: Harris, Bilson
Booked: Darby, Isherwood
You can see Stevenage FCW First Team in action at Bloomfields against Needham Market on Sunday 25th February. This will be an away fixture in the ERWFL – keep your eyes on the social media platforms for more details - @stevenagefcw
The Under 23s will be in League action as they host Thetford Town at The Herts County Ground on the same date.
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