Fratton Park goal fest as Pompey Women hit Cheltenham for six

Pompey Women made a welcome return to winning ways in the National League, although they had to come from behind before securing an ultimately comfortable 6-3 victory over Cheltenham.

It looked like a frustrating afternoon might be on the cards at Fratton Park when Chloe Snook netted for the visitors against the run of play.

But Kerry Beattie levelled from the penalty spot as half-time approached, before the Blues ran riot shortly after the interval.

Georgie Freeland fired the Blues ahead straight from kick-off, with Reanna Blades quickly opening her account for the club.

Beattie then grabbed her second of the afternoon, while Jazz Bull and Jemima Dahou also found the target with fine strikes.

Snook and Leo Joycereplied for the visitors. Nevetheless, it was still an emphatic success for a Pompey side who rediscovered their shooting boots in some style.

Boss Jay Sadler made three changes from the team that were held to a goalless draw at Hashtag United the previous week.

Blades was handed her first start in the forward line, while there were also spots for Alisha Ware and Esta Roberts.

Sofia Mallon and Summer Hughes both dropped to the bench, with Ava Rowbotham missing out through injury.

Pompey immediately looked to attack their opponents and stated their intentions with a couple of early corners.

Freeland then threaded a pass through for Ware, whose delivery into the box was just out of reach for Zoe Barratt.

And when Barratt then crossed for Blades, the forward could not make a clean connection with her back-post header.

Blades also saw another ball into the mixer shave the top of the crossbar, as the hosts enjoyed almost total control.

But it was the Robins who had the first attempt on target, as Joyce’s angled drive had to be turned behind by Hermione Cull.

And they took the lead from Charlotte Salisbury-Williams’ resulting corner, which was lashed into the net by Snook off the underside of the bar.

Pompey were soon back on the attack and a Ware corner was nervously punched behind by keeper Chloe Jones, while Beattie soon fired over from inside the box.

The hosts went agonisingly close to getting back on level terms when Barratt laid the ball off for Ware to drill a low shot inches past the post.

And a Roberts cross then flew narrowly over the head of Ware at the back post, as the hosts continued to be frustrated.

The left-back was proving to be at the centre of most of the Blues’ brightest attacking moments and curled in a free-kick that was repelled by Jones on 27 minutes.

It continued to be one-way traffic as a corner led to an almighty scramble in the box, but Cheltenham continued to survive.

Pompey were handed an excellent chance to level, however, when Barratt raced onto Cull’s long kick up the pitch.

Jones could not decide whether to come out to claim it and delayed her run too long, bringing down the forward inside the area.

Referee Lois Jefferies pointed to the spot and Beattie calmly tucked the penalty into the bottom corner of the net.

Sadler ordered his side to keep attacking in search of further goals and when a Ware corner was cleared as far as Dahou, her first-time effort was punched away by Jones.

Then, just before the break, Beattie tried to take a shot from inside the box, but had the ball taken off her feet by Salisbury-Williams.

The Blues had needed to show plenty of patience in the first half, but it did not take them long to hit their stride following the restart.

In fact, there were just 24 seconds on the clock when a low centre from Blades was slammed into the net by Freeland.

They had another chance when Ware was brought down 25 yards out, but Dahou’s free-kick found the wall.

Dahou then showcased some lovely footwork and slipped a pass across for Ware, whose attempt was blocked.

But the Blues did have a cushion on 55 minutes as Roberts picked out Blades in the box and the forward forced the ball home from close range.

The floodgates were now well and truly open and a fourth goal arrived soon after, with Beattie turning home Ware’s delivery from the right.

Sadler freshened things up with a double switch just past the hour mark, as Freeland and Blades made way for Hughes and Amelia Hazard.

The visitors should have reduced their deficit when Libby Bell received the ball in acres of space inside the box, but with just Cull to beat, she fired wide.

But Cheltenham did have one back on 70 minutes, with Snook capitalising on a loose pass and finding the bottom corner.

That was no more than a brief blip, though, as the hosts soon started to pour forward again and cause their opponents plenty of problems.

It looked like Beattie would complete her hat-trick when a Hughes cross was swept into her path by Barratt, but Shurima Vine cleared off the line.

And they did have a fifth goal on 79 minutes, courtesy of a 25-yard rocket from skipper Bull that flew in off the inside of the post.

Pompey again switched off at the back to hand Cheltenham a late consolation, though, with a header from Joyce looping over Cull.

The reaction from the hosts was simply to go up the other end and score themselves, with an ambitious long-range Dahou effort dipping into the net to complete the goal fest.

Pompey: Cull; Bull (c), Collins, Suttie, Ware; Roberts (Jones 84), Freeland (Hughes 64), Dahou; Blades (Hazard 64), Beattie, Barratt

Subs not used: Pettit, Wilding, Wilson, Mallon

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