Larkhall Ladies 1
Exeter City Ladies 4

Grecian Ladies back to winning ways at Larkhall

Exeter City Ladies recorded their first league win of the season away at Larkhall, earning a 4-1 win in Somerset.

Having been defeated on the opening weekend in Shanklin, City arrived in Bath with a squad still short on numbers and looking to deny their hosts their first points of the campaign after defeat to Swindon a fortnight before.

Kate Hine’s experience in defence was helping Exeter marshall their plucky opponents.  Larkhall, playing a high line, were almost caught cold on a couple of occasions only for Tash Knapman and Kirsty Caunter to squander chances, taking the teams goalless into the interval on a hot afternoon.

After the break, however, City began to boss the game with more authority and Knapman, playing the lone striker’s role, was particularly lively.  A great save was needed by the hosts’ stopper after the Grecians forward was again released.

But the Larkhall resolve was finally breached when a tremendous free-kick from 25 yards out nestled into the top corner via the inside of the post.

Knapman soon secured her second – free and unmarked at the back post, she headed a corner ball downwards with power to increase the lead.  And the hat-trick was completed midway through the second period when Caunter threaded the forward through to finish smartly with her left foot.

The arrears were cut by Larkhall’s right-back, whose hopeful cross/shot eluded everyone and dipped beneath the crossbar to get the hosts on the scoresheet.

But the three-goal cushion was re-established with 10 minutes remaining as a cross from hard-working Sophie Simpson was flicked on by Chloe Williams to score with a volley from the edge of the area.