All five of last week’s subs were named in the team at Fetcham Grove, namely Keavy Price, Chloe Winchester, Chloe Lelliott, Hayley Bridge and Emily Linscer, in place of Niamh Andersson, Gemma Worsfold, Rachel Palmer, Becs Bell and the unavailable Ella Newman.

The visitors got off to the best possible start as they surged into a two-goal lead after just six minutes.

Georgia Tibble’s corner was glanced inside the far post via the dome of Russell, followed a few moments later by Price’s excellent through ball releasing Sophie Humphrey to burst clear of the defence, before fizzing in a low cross for Linscer to tap home into an unguarded net..

A combination of goalkeeper Lara Burrows and Affrika Alberts ensured that a third strike wasn’t forthcoming, once Tibble’s free-kick had been spilled by the former and a reaction shot by Katie Young saved, then finally cleared by Alberts.

Only a miskick at the most inopportune moment prevented Tibble herself extending the Blues lead, with Linscer this time the provider following Young’s long ball down the inside right channel.

Eventually, eleven minutes from half-time, a third was duly added to the tally.

Humphrey, creating problems with not only her direct running but doing it down both flanks, caused her pursuer Amy Stratford to take drastic action. The subsequent set-piece taken as usual by Tibble and Russell stooped to conquer for her second of the afternoon.

Within a matter of seconds, Burrows had to be quick to come out and meet Linscer to stop the deficit increasing to four. Young threading one through once again to set up the chance.

Then, the Tanners’ number one pulled off a brilliant one-handed save to deny Linscer on a second occasion, as Lelliott and Price paired up to near devastating effect.

Burrows certainly had her work cut out and she was at it yet again, parrying a Winchester effort in the last minute of the opening period.

Tibble instigated that opportunity too, but her next delivery met with the same outcome as earlier; a right-wing corner nodded home by Russell for a hat-trick of goals to compliment a hat-trick of assists for GT.

No sooner had the second half got underway then Humphrey added her name to the scoresheet.

Price was fouled on the edge of the eighteen-yard box and Humphrey drilled the deadball through the wall and beyond Burrows.

A loose ball was pounced on by Andersson but flashed the wrong side of the upright from distance, prior to Humphrey doubling her total courtesy of a close-range tap-in.

The two linked up shortly afterwards and, despite a lovely turn and shot Humphrey narrowly avoided sharing the match ball with Russell when she fired inches over the top.

Positivity by Winchester, not just an idea for a new fragrance but also a passage of play culminating in a twenty-yard blast that flew above the target, two thirds of the way through an entertaining affair.

Linscer then did likewise, though finding the ‘keeper’s hands this time before the first and only booking of the tie resulted in substitute Ava Davenport conceding a free-kick for ending the dribbling skills of Andersson prematurely. Humphrey sized up her options although failed to repeat her previous success; opting to go up and over the wall and, unfortunately, the angle of crossbar and upright too.

Drifting in off the left, Linscer found Winchester – the player, not the City in Hampshire – who promptly supplied Bell with a delivery that the speed machine headed past the far top corner.

The guests were then suddenly forced to see out the remaining five minutes, plus stoppages, a player light when shot-stopper Lauren Dolbear went down with an ankle injury, after she turned with nobody near her.

Young donned the gloves and, perversely, was called into action during her brief spell between the sticks.

Meggie McLoughlin was sent scampering clear along the right and her goal bound attempt kept out by the foot of Young, who caught the ball as it returned to earth. Unorthodox but certainly effective !