Ladies finish title-winning league campaign in seven-up style!

Spurs Ladies finished their title-winning campaign in champagne style - and now they prepare for the biggest game in their history.

The ladies made it 17 wins out of 20 in the FA Women's Premier League South with a 7-0 sinking of West Ham at Thurrock FC's Ship Lane.

Champions for the first time, they now take on FAWPL Northern winners Blackburn Rovers in the FAWPL Championship play-off at The Valley, Charlton on Sunday, May 28. The winners will be promoted to Women's Super League 2.

WEST HAM 0-7 SPURS LADIES
FA Women's Premier League South

Report from Khalid Karimullah at Thurrock FC, Ship Lane
Photographs with thanks via Wu's Photography

Spurs Ladies ended their title-winning FA Women’s Premier League campaign in seventh heaven following a relentless 7-0 performance against West Ham United at Thurrock FC.

Lucia Leon slid in Ronnell Humes down the right, she played across but just behind Bianca Baptiste bursting inside the six-yard box. Toni-Anne Wayne’s goalkick on the volley was latched onto by Baptiste, whose cross flew inches over the crossbar.

Jenna Schillaci recycled with Baptiste to cross towards Katie O’Leary, who flicked the ball to the back-post for Leah Rawle, she played it back inside for O’Leary to fire home, only for the flag to be raised for offside.

Leon played inside to O’Leary who laid off to Humes, her strike deflected into the path of Baptiste, whose swerved strike fell kindly to Lottie Ivison. Schillaci recycled with Leon, whose cross to the back-post came within inches of meeting Wendy Martin.

Chloe Burr latched onto a defensive error, struck from 25-yards which sailed wide of the right-hand post. Josie Green won possession off Jasmine Auguste on the edge, slipped in Humes who fired over.

Below: Lucia Leon all smiles with Riana Soobadoo

O’Leary’s patience, control and lob over Ivison inside the area gave Karen Hills’ outfit a deserved lead after 36 minutes. The Hammers looked for a response through Whitney Locke who raced through on goal, but was unable to get her shot away with Sophie Mclean tracking back to steer the danger clear.

Humes drifted to the right, played into Martin whose strike was palmed out towards O’Leary, who was denied again by the offside flag. It was 2-0 heading into the break as Humes placed across to Martin to guide home in added time.

Martin was at the double after she headed Baptiste’s byline cross across goal seven minutes into the restart. Baptiste struck across goal forcing Ivison to tip past the post on the stretch. Just past the hour, Riana Soobadoo broke to the edge firing across Ivison for four. Five minutes later, Baptiste raced through for a one-on-one and with patience chipped Ivison.

It was six a minute later, Leon leaped at the far-post to place Baptiste’s corner into the bottom corner. Burr broke for a one-on-one, but placed over with Wayne closing her down. Kelley Blanchflower recycled with Soobadoo before sliding in Humes, who broke the challenge rolling in, but the offside flag was raised.

Baptiste shimmied past challenges, burst through down the middle into the area before firing low and with clout into the far corner. Baptiste looked in for a hat-trick following Blanchflower’s perfectly-weighted pass, only for Courtney Lumley to guide the danger away.

Spurs Ladies: 1. Toni-Anne Wayne, 2. Lucia Leon, 3. Leah Rawle, 11. Jenna Schillaci (12. Riana Soobadoo 46), 4. Shannon Moloney, 7. Josie Green (18. Eartha Pond 64), 5. Sophie Mclean (20. Kelley Blanchflower 46), 10. Wendy Martin, 14. Katie O’Leary, 24. Ronnell Humes, 8. Bianca Baptiste. Substitites (not used): Nikita Whinnett, Renee Hector.