Exeter City Women recorded their biggest League win of the season on Sunday as a clinical performance in Dorset saw them overcome Poole Town with a 7-0 victory.
City started slowly, Poole were battling keenly in midfield and the free flowing football that is a hallmark of any Grecians performance was difficult to establish. The home side were restricting City to efforts from distance, Phoebe Baker, Steph Beck and Jess Sandland all testing the handling of Town 'keeper Dani Maidment. With those early battles now beginning to be won, City upped the tempo with the opening goal starting to look ever more likely as the game progressed. With 25 played, Steph Beck's flicked header found Connie Pengelly and she turned her marker to fire past Maidment for the lead.
The second goal soon followed, Jess Sandland delivering the perfect corner for Pengelly to head home and double her tally. Sarah Stacey had a goal ruled out for offside, as Sandland and Watkins were starting to cause numerous problems for the Poole defence. However, it would be another set piece that brought a third. Sandland once again delivered into a perfect area and Mollie Taylor nodded in to give a commanding half time advantage.
Sandland, in an unfamiliar left wing back role, was growing in confidence, her cross almost providing Sarah Stacey with a City fourth early in the second half. Yet, it would be Sandland herself who had that distinction, Mollie Taylor repaying the favour from the first half with a perfect back post cross for Sandland to tap in. It was the teenagers first National League goal.
When City find their momentum, they rarely fail to take full advantage. Wonderful, slick passing football saw Watkins, Anthea Kaptein and Stacey all combine to provide the chance for Pengelly to hit a treble, the young forward was not going to miss such an opportunity and fired past Maidment. Sandland then breezed past her marker once more to square for Beck to hit a sixth. Three goals in a ten minute spell and the points were safely heading back to Devon.
Abbie Britton and Aaron Wakley made several changes as the game came towards a conclusion, substitute Mia Preston's shot falling to Stacey who turned to slot the ball past Maidement for the Grecians' seventh. Watkins, Stacey and Taylor all went close to adding more, with the ever willing Manfy Sharpe making several forays into the Poole penalty area in search of ending her long wait for a goal, but City will be more than happy with this decisive display, especially their second half showing.
Three home games now await as the Grecians complete their season, this weekends visit of AFC Bournemouth provides a fascinating fixture in which the visitors have to win to stand any chance of overturning Cheltenham Town in what is the Cherries final game of the season. The probability is that this match up will be a good indication on where City compare against a team who will be certain Title contenders next season, and, as the divisions two top scoring sides, it will be an encounter not to be missed on Easter Sunday.