Doubles from summer signing Sophie Manzi and winger Georgia Heasman sealed Fulham FC Women’s first win of the season as the Whites beat Aylesford 6-1 at Motspur Park this afternoon.
Manzi, who joined from Dulwich Hamlet in the close season, gave the home side a dream start by converting two penalties in two minutes to put Fulham two goals to the good. Steve Jaye’s side sought to extend their advantage in the remainder of the first half with Anisa Hill and Heasman, making her first start of the season, going close to scoring Fulham’s first goal from open play in the new campaign.
Manzi missed the chance to complete her hat-trick early in the second half when she headed over from a magnificent Madi Parsonson cross but Heasman hit Fulham’s third eight minutes later. The lively winger tucked home an excellent Sasha Adamson delivery before the same pair combined to make it 4-0 six minutes later. Adamson, another summer signing, wrote grabbed her first Fulham goal two minutes later with an assured finish.
Aylesford reduced their arrears through a superb finish from sixteen year-old Rebecca Elsley before Fulham goalkeeper Libby Stratton was sent off following an altercation after the goal. The Whites made light of their numerical disadvantage in the closing stages as the returning Lily Lambird scored a sensational sixth after being teed up by debutant Rebecca Panting.
The Whites move on to face Ebbsfleet United, who have made an impressive start to the new campaign, at Motspur Park next Sunday afternoon.
FULHAM FC WOMEN (3-4-3): Stratton; Tagliavini, Stormer, Dale; Parsonson, Foreman, Barron-Clark, Hill; Adamson, Heasman, Manzi. Subs: Parker, Southgate, Mendes, Lambird, Panting.
SENT OFF: Stratton.
GOALS: Manzi (pen 15, pen 17), Heasman (60, 72), Adamson (74), Lambird (87).
AYLESFORD FC LADIES: Rider, Witham, Blyghton, Dante, Panayi, McClean-Wright, Morgan, Elsley, Harrison, Burnham, Wignall. Subs: Hulme, Gondo, Ghag, Driscoll, Armstrong.
BOOKED: Witham.
GOAL: Elsley (70).
REFEREE: Dan Vernon.
ATTENDANCE: 179.
