Teddington Athletic U16G: Sun 17 Nov: Abbey Rangers (H) W 7-2

After the previous week's narrowish cup win over Caterham Pumas, a reaction was needed.

The starting line-up certainly looked different, with five new faces from last week's team: only goalkeeper Charlotte Ward, defender Ella Parkinson-Mearns, midfielder Emily Coulson and striker Ale Fairn survived as Dave W rang the changes. Saskia Brewster returned to the defence, while all four of last week's subs started from the off: Sadie Day and Sophie Wallman in midfield, Amy Hallett and Millie MacEacharn out wide.

Emily in the action

However, it was one of the survivors who put Teddington ahead within the first minute. With seven goals in her seven games beforehand, Ale Fairn had been a reliable rather than remarkable goalscorer – even if it is her intelligent movement and ceaselessly selfless running that creates space and opportunities for her team-mates – but on this occasion her four goals were, quite simply, the difference between the two teams.

Ale leads the line

The opener rewarded her running: spying a gap and inviting a composed through-ball from Sophie, Ale broke the offside trap and finished comfortably. The second, six minutes later, demonstrated her diligent teamwork. She started a move which ended with Millie Mac cutting in from the left wing; when the goalkeeper got down well to save Millie's shot, Ale was on hand to mop up the rebound.

Ale celebrates her second

So far so good, but within a minute the lead was halved. As several Teddington players lost focus by watching an irritatingly noisy rugby open day, Abbey sliced through the Athletic defence and finished low past Charlotte's right hand.

With eight minutes gone the scores were 2-1, and a Teddington side without its top two scorers were in a proper game. Frequently making quadruple substitutions to keep themselves fresh, a determined Abbey were tackling toughly (if fairly), but a relatively inexperienced Athletic side coped well with the questions asked: looking to pass to each other, moving with and without the ball and always playing as a team.

At half-time, the grinning visiting manager noted that this was "a proper game, for once" – but Teddington took control in the second half. With Sophie and Sadie having run themselves ragged in the first half, manager Dave brought them off for Ella V and Millie Theobald, the latter in her usual defensive role while Ella Parkinson-Mearns moved up into midfield. It worked a treat, Parky breaking up Abbey attacks before they reached the back-line, while 'Jelly' dominated the game in her usual prodigious way.

Sadie runs herself into the ground

Three minutes after the restart, Jelly's long throw was finished at the near post by Sinead Morris, with all the confidence of a girl scoring her 18th of the season. The confidence spread, as it so often does: two minutes later, Jelly's corner was hammered toward goal by Parky, only for Ale to turn it home despite being flat on her back. Had it been a defender, Parky could have claimed her on-target shot wasn't an OG - but Ale is a striker, and rightly claimed the goal.

At that point, manager Dave prepared to bring her off and give Amy Hallett an education-extending run up front, but the girl in form hadn't finished with a mere hat-trick. Sinead's direct running down the right caused havoc for Abbey, and Ale was first to the falling ball to get her fourth and Teddington's fifth.

Amy gets stuck in

As is so frequently the case, Athletic were in no mood for charity, and a weak goal-kick was ruthlessly collected and swept in by Ella V. That made it 6-1 and Teddington's four goals in less than 10 minutes had killed Abbey's hopes, although a much-improved away side - roared on by a sizeable travelling support - got a deserved second goal with 10 minutes left, a fine far-post finish from a right-wing cross.

All that remained was for Emily to score for her fifth successive game, a typically confident near-post touch from another Jelly corner, and the job was done. Another magnificent seven goals – making it 97 scored in 10 fulfilled fixtures – and just as importantly, some good experience for players who haven't started as many games.

Sinead gets involved

That will certainly strengthen the squad for the four fixtures remaining this side of Christmas. Next week, after a run of six successive home games, Teddington travel to an impressive Caterham side who will surely want revenge for their league and cup defeats and are coming off the back of a 7-0 win at Colne Valley; then it's Kempton Girls, still Athletic's nearest challengers after beating Guildford 9-0; then it's that League Cup quarter-final at First Division side Carshalton Athletic.

If Teddington beat their two closest rivals by winning those next two league games, they will be champions before that cup quarter-final.

TEDDINGTON ATHLETIC (2-3-3): Charlotte Ward; Ella Parkinson-Mearns, Saskia Brewster; Sophie Wallman, Emily Coulson (1), Sadie Day; Amy Hallett, Ale Fairn (4), Millie MacEacharn. Subs: Millie Theobald, Ella V (1), Sinead Morris (1).
10am, Teddington Cricket Club. Photos by David Theobald. Thanks!