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AFC Croydon Athletic’s Final triumph
AFC Croydon Athletic 5 Tooting Bec Reserves 0
AFC Croydon Athletic completed a remarkable debut season in the Greater London Women's Football League by adding the Sue Sharples Memorial Trophy to their Division Two South and Central title winning campaign.
The opening match of the GLWFL Finals day pitted Croydon against divisional rivals Tooting Bec Reserves and a powerful display saw the champions four goals to the good by the break, adding a late fifth for a convincing win.
A dynamic opening twenty five minutes had Croydon two goals to the good, both scored by Chenille Smith. The pace and skill of the Croydon attack continued to trouble the Tooting defence with Smith rattling the bar on 25 minutes after a superb build up down the right.
Kizzanna Fergus added a third just after the half hour with another powerful run and finish but the best first half goal came right on the break. A corner seemed to have been successfully cleared only for Ifeoma Nwanaji to fire in a rocket shot from outside the box.
Tooting Bec, cheered on by a tuneful and optimistic group of supporters, returned with determination and resolve to combat the attacking threat of their opponents and were able to keep them at bay for much of the second half. They also managed a few attacks of their own but such was the strength of the Croydon defence that keeper Amanda O'Neill was rarely troubled.
A late fifth goal by Alssatu Mayara Monteiro Dialo gave the large and enthusiastic Croydon support further reason to celebrate and soon the entire Croydon squad were able to join in as they closed out a fantastic season by capturing the League and Cup double.
Both teams then enjoyed and celebrated their achievement in reaching Finals day with the losers displaying admirably sporting good nature in defeat.
AFC Croydon Athletic: Amanda O’Neill, Daveeka Gayle, K’shaela Burch-
Tooting Bec Reserves: Dayna Kivell, Phoebe Cuerden, Ellie Wade, Meaghan Hackett, Ceri Black, Libbi Murphy, Leah Wade, Sarah Stevens, Bryony Bancroft, Lucia Halliwell, Nicole Humphry. Subs: Charlotte Stiff, Leanne Prescott, Amaryllis Seabrooks, Zoe Burden, Georgina King.
