It was an incredible display from the London Bees as we got back to winning ways, as we beat Billericay Town Women 8-1 at home to keep their spot at the top of the league.
The Bees started the first half brightly, with much of their promise in attack coming down the right wing.
After a cross in the opening three minutes was cleared to the edge of the box, the Bees tried their fortunes from wide areas again, and the next cross led to the opening shot of the match, but it failed to test the goalkeeper.
After eight minutes of the match being contested in the middle of the pitch, the hosts won a free kick, with the ball floated into the box, with Grace Breen’s beating the goalkeeper but rebounding off the crossbar.
Billericay grew into the game and had a penalty claim waved away by the referee in the eleventh minute, yet the Bees regained control and got their reward for the early pressure when Niamh Cashin found the back of the net after thirteen minutes on the clock.
It was almost an immediate second for the hosts, countering from a promising opportunity for Billericay from a set piece, with a shot from Megan Burrows crashing off the post.
Though minutes later, the Bees would find the back of the net for the second time in the match, with a low driven cross getting a pivotal final touch, but the goal would be ruled out by the linesman on the near side for offside.
A superb finish would double the Bees’ advantage with a three-in-two situation finished off first time by Che Thomas, caressing the ball into the top right corner.
A third would be scored minutes later, when a mix-up in the box from a corner resulted in a tap-in from Cassin who reacted quickest.
The Bees had a golden opportunity to get their fourth when Thomas was played through one-on-one, but was denied by Daisy Miller in the Billericay goal.
The resulting corner hit the post and went out for a goal kick.
Yet on the cusp of the half-time whistle, the Bees got their fourth.
The second half started much more even, with both sides having early chances.
Theo hosts did have an opportunity from a set piece but the cross failed to get any connection that would result in a fifth.
Yet, much like in the first half, crosses proved pivotal, with the first goal of the second half being turned in by Grace Stanway within a minute of being substituted on. It was 5-0 to the Bees.
From here, Billericay had their chances, working possession well and proving effective on the counter-attack, but were unable to force Ella Hunkin into action.
But the constant flurry of goals would continue when the Bees got their sixth in what was one of the best goals of the afternoon.
A Bergkamp-like goal with Grace Stanley flicking the ball up and round the defender on her first touch, and volleying the ball home on her second touch with the ball rebounding off the post and trickling across the line.
The seventh would come from a corner and was headed home by Cashin for her hat-trick.
It was almost two in two minutes for the Bees when Ruby Mace received the ball from within the box, but the shot was well saved by Miller in the Billericay goal.
The Blues would come close to getting a consolation goal, with a shot from range hitting the crossbar.
The eighth was scored by Stanley, with the Bees having a second player getting on a hat-trick.
Yet the Blues would eventually get one back, when Nia Evans scored a great goal from range. The Blues thought that they had got another minute later, but their joy would be short-lived when the linesman called it offside.