THE women’s football season is now back in full swing.
FA Women’s National League side Plymouth Argyle were the first club in the region to return to action.
They have played four Southern Premier league games so far but remain winless after losing 2-1 at home to London Bees on Sunday.
The Pilgrims paid for a slow start at the weekend. They went 2-0 down after less than 20 minutes.
Rhah Vyse headed the Bees in front after just seven minutes before Kayla Potter doubled their lead 12 minutes later.
Argyle regrouped at half-time and made changes and were a lot better.
They got back into the game with a goal from former England international Jemma Rose.
The Pilgrims pushed for an equaliser but it just would not come, despite the Bees having a player sent off 10 minutes from time.
Argyle will be in cup action this weekend when they visit lower league St Austell.
In the South West Women’s Premier League, Liskeard Athletic opened their season with an entertaining 4-4 home draw against Forest Green Rovers. Charlotte Moore scored a hat-trick for Liskeard, who had Alex Hugh also netting.
In the South West Western League, Saltash United made a dream start to the new campaign with a 9-0 away victory at Bideford.
Nicola Champion scored a hat-trick for the Ashes, with Dee Newman and Jade Bryan both netting a brace and Maisie Lovell and Hayley Ranachan also getting on the scoresheet.
However, there was frustration for Marine Academy Plymouth, who lost 4-0 away to Sticker in their season opener after failing to take their chances.
Plympton Ladies returned to the Devon Women’s League win a bang as they beat Hunters District 20-0 at Bull Point.
Plympton, who took a year out of competitive football last term, had three players – Ellie Dalton, Emily Hollister and Charlotte Jeffery – scoring hat-tricks. There was also two apiece for Codie-Al Cleugh, Stacey Gibson, Charley Putman and Daisy Canning, while Evie Hampton, Isabel Glover and Chelsea Robinson were also on the scoresheet.
Lakeside Athletic, who finished last season strongly, battled hard but found Juventus Devon Women too clinical in a 7-2 defeat at the Parkway.
Juventus, who just missed out on promotion last season playing as Torquay United Reserves, went 2-0 up before Roxanne Byrne pulled one back for Lakeside.
After the visitors went 3-1 ahead, Byrne scored another after a mistake by the Juventus goalkeeper.
But the visitors instantly restored their two goal lead and then after the interval added three more.
SB Oak Villa, who finished third last season, got their new campaign off to a good start with a 5-2 away win at Paignton Villa.
However, Signal Box Ladies had a tough league debut, losing 4-0 away at Teignmouth.
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