Brentford FC Women’s First Team gained all three points over a strong Sutton United side after a hard fought 1-0 victory at home. Back-to-back wins against teams towards the summit of the table leave The Bees only four points behind league leaders Dorking Wanderers, although they have played a game more. The decisive goal in the game came through an unexpected source in left back Chloe Webb, who got herself on the score sheet for the first time this season.

Head Coach Karleigh Osborne believes his side have as good a chance as any to claim top spot come the end of the season and said: “I genuinely believe if we can keep putting in performances like we have today and the majority of performances we have done this season, I think we have a good chance of going and winning it, I really do.”

The warning signs were there early for Sutton as just five minutes into the game they managed to escape a dangerous situation. Ellen Wardlaw slotted Rebekah Edwards through who saw her effort saved well by the opposing keeper. Sophie Troth followed in and cannoned her strike against a Sutton defender, then the ball fell kindly back to Wardlaw on the edge of the box who narrowly missed the target.

Brentford were persistent in attack and 35 minutes in managed to break the deadlock. A cross-cum-shot from Webb on the left-hand side deceived the keeper and flew over her head into the back of the net, giving The Bees a 1-0 edge.

On the stroke of half time The Bees had a goal controversially disallowed for offside after Troth looked to have broken through and square for Edwards who couldn’t miss, but a late flag meant that the score stayed at 1-0 going into the break. Sutton came closest to equalising with about 15 minutes left to play, their winger closed down an attempted clearance and flashed a low driven shot across the goal, narrowly missing the bottom left corner.

Brentford nearly had the icing on the cake when substitute striker Kaitlyn Spencer-Dempsey released Troth who was clean through on goal. The number 10 bent the ball around the keeper but could only watch as it hit the inside of the post and painfully roll across the goal line; eventually resulting in a goal kick.