Although there were one or two new faces in the dugout – metaphorically speaking, at the moment – a largely recognisable line-up represented the Reds on the pitch. Aside from the obligatory trialist or two, of course.
In a match played over three, thirty minute periods, rather than two conventional forty-five minute halves, both sides eased themselves into the action in the opening friendly for each of them.
It was Alex Baker in the visitor’s net who was called into action first, getting down to hold a low drive from Sammy Quayle at the base of her near post after Katie Young had played her in.
A hard but fair tackle kept Quayle out a couple of minutes later, with Sophie Humphrey fizzing the loose ball across the face of goal, maintaining the host’s positive start.
The East Londoners, three-nil winners on their last visit to the Sussex Transport Community Stadium in September, found themselves behind when a weaving run on the left wing by Humphrey led to her finding Georgia Tibble in the penalty area. Following a defensive block by Captain (Maisie) Cannon, Chloe Winchester picked up the pieces and fired home a low shot from just outside the box into the bottom corner.
Leading one-nil at the (first) break, it only took six minutes for the advantage to be doubled upon the resumption. A counter attack led by Dan Rowe resulted in the Skipper playing a slide-rule pass for Quayle, who sidestepped Riley before tucking it low beyond the outstretched hand of Baker.
Trialist number one came on for Becs Bell prior to the commencement of the second third and soon made her mark. Going up with Young to meet a Tibble corner swung in from the right, T1 got the decisive touch, leaving VAR to decide if her teammate would be allowed to claim the assist.
Seaward were making full use of the roll on/roll off substitutions and capitalising on their opponents lack of numerical options on the bench. Though two of their starters combined to test the reflexes of Lauren Dolbear; last term’s league Golden Gloves winner doing what she does best to deny Katherine Long, after sterling work in the eighteen yard area by Zahmena Malik.
Meanwhile, up the other end, Baker’s brilliance resulted in her tipping, two-handed, over the crossbar to prevent Quayle lashing home a left-footed screamer off the right flank.
Not that even Seaward’s ‘keeper could keep out Young, as Katie left no-one in any doubt that it was her touch which had made it three; to clinically conclude another Tibble flag-kick.
A similar link-up nearly procured a fourth of the afternoon, thanks to Young stooping to almost conquer Rowe’s cross, only to glance fractionally wide of the far upright.
Two-thirds of the way through an entertaining contest, a brilliant first-time finish saw Emily Linscer gracefully guide home Tibble’s latest testing delivery.
The final chance of the ‘half’ arrived courtesy of Long. However, there was no way through a crowded penalty area for the dangerous-looking striker.
Rebels rapidly responded via Linscer’s excellent through ball to Quayle that netminder Baker shepherded out for a goal-kick.
Not that Long would be kept quiet for much longer; flashing a thunderous drive inside Dolbear’s right-hand post from a position wide on the right.
Irked somewhat by conceding, the Rebels responded immediately via Young’s long pass down the right that Humphrey latched on to, held off the close attentions of replacement Beatrice Rogers, then dispatched delicately over the head of the helpless Baker.
Young came within a whisker of becoming the first player to score more than once on the day, by way of a long-range rocket that required a strong hand to push it up and over the top. Baker was not about to let lightning strike twice, once Rowe had got the better of Riley on the byline and Quayle had been frustrated at close quarters.
Scorer might have turned provider but Humphrey’s ball into Quayle saw Sammy nod narrowly over.
The travelling Blues would have the final say however, when Sian Harris marginally landed a right-sided cross on top of the net, two minutes from time.
No further addition to the scoreline though meant a markedly different outcome to the last occasion these two teams locked horns. A tight, backs-to-the-wall one-nil verdict on a sunny but rather chilly January afternoon in Barkingside, succeeded by this stunning six-one win to get new Manager Jesus Cordon’s reign off to a victorious start.
