New signings Brionne Fowle and Sandra Martins were on the scoresheet as the London Bees secured a 2-0 pre-season victory against Ascot United on a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon at The Bees Stadium.
The match kicked off with both sides eager to make a positive start, but it was the Bees who settled quickest, controlling possession and using the pace of wide players Lily Whitelock and Layla Kenly to stretch the visitors’ defence.
Despite the Bees early efforts, Ascot posed a threat on the break, carving out several half-chances and forcing the Bees’ Trialist goalkeeper into action with shots from the edge of the box.
The visitors enjoyed a decent spell midway through the half, but captain Aimee Durn led a well-organised defensive effort to keep them at bay, consistently breaking up attacks and driving the team up field.
As the half progressed, the Bees began to grow back into the game and nearly took the lead when Brionne Fowle struck the ball from distance, but her powerful strike hit off the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.
Half-Time: London Bees 0–0 Ascot United
The Bees came out with renewed energy after the break and quickly began to impose themselves.
Their pressure paid off just minutes into the second half when Whitelock found Fowle in space on the edge of the box.
The midfielder took a touch, set herself, and drove the ball into the back of the net, scoring her first goal for the club and gaining a well-deserved opener.
With temperatures continuing to rise, the Bees made several substitutions, introducing Shamoy Campbell, Fran Vigo and Sandra Martins to inject fresh energy into the side.
The impact was immediate, as with 10 minutes remaining, Vigo threaded a clever through ball into the path of Martins, who took fired a shot in the box and finished confidently from a tight angle, slotting the ball past the keeper to double the Bees’ lead and marking her first goal for the club.
The Bees saw out the final minutes comfortably and were rewarded with their first win of the pre-season campaign as the referee signalled full-time.
Full-Time: London Bees 2-0 Ascot United
Lineup: Trialist, Heil, Clement, Wozniak, Davidson, Kenly, Fowle, Durn, Whitelock, Burrows, Larkin
Subs: Trialist, Campbell, Callison, Vigo, Martins
Goals: Fowle (54’), Martins (85’)