MARINE Academy Plymouth are up-and-running in the FA Women’s National League after they beat Portishead Town 4-0 in their opening home game in Division One South West.
Marine had lost their first match 2-0 away at Keynsham Town, but they really impressed against Portishead.
Captain Samantha Drewery scored two great goals on a hot afternoon at Erme Valley. She is now just one goal away from reaching the 300-mark for Marine.
Beth Overton and Carmen Morison were also on the score-sheet for the home side, who had won the South West Premier Division last season.
However, there was disappointment for Plymouth Argyle in the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division as they were beaten 2-0 away at Watford.
The Pilgrims had opened their season with an impressive 3-0 home win over Hashtag United, but they were not quite able to hit their best form at Kings Langley on Sunday.
Watford showed a clinical edge to win with a goal in each half from Madison Perry.
Argyle were not helped going into the match after losing Lulu Jarvis with a serious leg injury in their League Cup game against Marine Academy on Thursday night.
The cup match had to be abandoned on the stroke of half-time due to Jarvis’ injury.
It was later confirmed that she had suffered two fractures to her tibia and fibula and would require surgery that could keep her out for up to a year.
Jarvis had scored the opening game in that cup match as Argyle went 3-0 up. Paris Dalton and Phoebie Poole also netted before the game was abandoned.
Meanwhile, there was disappointment for a depleted SB Oak Villa side in the Women’s FA Cup as they lost 1-0 to an injury-time goal at home to Bradworthy in the preliminary round.
The match looked like it was heading to penalties, but deep into extra-time, Bradworthy snatched the victory when Katie Stanbury headed in at the far post after Oak Villa had failed to clear a corner.
The first half was pretty even and both goalkeepers had to make fine saves.
Bradworthy did have the better of the second period and came close with a couple of goal-mouth scrambles, but it looked like Oak Villa were going to take the match to spot-kicks.
The fixture did end on a sour note, as after the goal a scuffle broke out following a tackle with players pushing and shoving each other. After order was restored, the referee, after talking to his assistants, decided to give a red card to both teams and also an additional yellow to Bradworthy.
The red cards also led to an incident where a spectator went inside the fenced off playing surface at Manadon to remonstrate with the Oak Villa management team.
Bradworthy will now play Feniton in first round qualifying on September 7.
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