Luton Ladies thrash Watford to sign off double winning season in style
Eastern Region Women’s League: Watford Development 1 Luton Town Ladies 6
Luton Town Ladies completed their superb double winning season by thrashing Watford Development 6-1 in their final Eastern Region Women’s League Premier Division match of the campaign at Berkhamsted FC last Wednesday night.
Making five changes from the League Cup final win against Stevenage FC Women, the Hatters gave a full debut to Carla Todd, who has come up through the ranks with the club, winning the Golden Boot for the Hatters’ U10s side back in July 2017. The visitors went close early on as Tasha Fensome was denied from close range, before they fell behind with 12 minutes gone, Rebecca Lovelace breaking the deadlock.
However, Town were soon on level terms as after Fensome had another effort saved, Luton did find the net when Jess McKay restored parity, while the Hatters were soon in front as Todd was on target with a first senior goal. They looked for a third, McKay’s attempt deflected behind for a corner as Stef Paci's pass dropped invitingly for Todd, whose volley was kept out by the hosts’ stopper.
After the break, Leah Robinson made a good save to prevent it being 2-2 while Tanya Blacksley then nodded against the crossbar at the other end. Fensome bagged her 32nd goal of a prolific campaign to put the visitors 3-1 in front and the result beyond doubt as she took Shianne Swarres’s pinpoint pass and confidently slotted into the bottom corner.
With 20 minutes left, McKay’s effort was saved, but the Hatters added to their advantage when Nicole Farmer notched her first goal for the club, meeting Fiona Buttigieg’s corner with a clever backheel. Fensome forced a great save while Liz Mulvaney’s free kick flew narrowly over but Town did find the net again when Caitlin O’Connor bagged a screamer and then McKay completed the scoring with Town’s sixth and final goal of the campaign late on.
Hatters: Robinson, Blacksley, Paci, Fensome, McKay, Buttigieg (C), Tucker, Farmer, Leighton, Todd, Lewis. Subs: Paci, Mulvaney, Maddix, Ndlovu, O'Connor.
» Luton Town Ladies U13s’ Wanderers also completed a league and cup double with an emphatic 10-1 victory against Real Bedford U13 Blacks. The triumph saw the young Hatters make it 18 wins out of 18 games in the league, as they scored an impressive 78 goals too.