In their second fixture since lockdown restrictions were eased, the First Team hosted Enfield Town Reserves at Bedfont Sports. The reverse fixture saw The Bees ease to a 6-3 win but Sunday’s opponents were bolstered by reinforcements from the Enfield First Team so this was always going to be a closer affair.

Right from the off, both sides put some strong challenges in during a period that didn’t see many chances created at all. Some half-chances came and went but neither side could get something clear-cut. The visitors arguably had the better openings but goalkeeper Emily Boycott was equal to anything coming her way.

At the other end, the front line was finding it hard to keep their shots below the crossbar. Trying to spread the play, striker Kaitlyn Spencer-Dempsey rolled the ball back to the edge of the box and Sophie Troth demonstrated how it should be done. She took aim and fired a rocket into the top corner to make it 1-0. A fine strike, which turned into the only goal of the opening half.

The second half started with the same pace as the first. Both sides were competitive in the air and trying long range efforts with little to no impact on the target. A real battle developed in the middle between Bees captain Mollie Holmes and Enfield’s Natalie Howard.

Troth was involved in the second goal, this time driving into the box from the edge and being brought down by Katie Miller. Referee Adriana Bucur pointed to the spot, Spencer-Dempsey stepping up to convert it into the bottom corner.

With time ticking down, both sides started tiring and space started to open up in abundance around the field. The Bees took full advantage to score a third. Some one-touch football gifted Spencer-Dempsey a clear path to the box. Unselfishly, she squared for substitute Rebekah Wiltshere to strike it home with a cool finish.

With 10 minutes to go, Enfield managed to get their goal. Sub Rhiannon Bassett was first to react to a loose ball after a corner caused chaos in the penalty area. She scrambled it over the line and grabbed the ball to get things going.

Despite this energy, Enfield couldn’t muster anything more. A deserved 3-1 victory for The Bees.

Bees: Boycott; Goolab, Graver, Langston-Lloyd, Webb; Holmes, Goodwin; Peters, Troth, Stickley; Spencer-Dempsey

Subs: Dalton, Furniss-Roe, Penfold, Reid, Wiltshere