South Shields Women rounded off their pre-season programme with a 5-2 win away to Darlington FC Women on Sunday.
Despite going behind in the 23rd minute after Issie Nattrass’ opener, the lasses found their shooting boots and Tianna Hill brought the team level seven minutes later, before adding her second in the 48th minute.
Julie Raffel then got involved and followed up just two minutes afterwards to make it three, though her shot took a heavy deflection on the way in.
Neve Platt scored twice – including a sensational long-ranger – over a 10 minute spell around the hour mark to firmly put the game out of sight for the Mariners.
The hosts did bring one back through a Harriet Raine free-kick towards the end, however.
Shields head into the competitive season eager and prepared following an intense, but rewarding, pre-season period.
Darlington arguably had control over the game during the first 20 minutes, which resulted in shots for Louise Muncaster and Nattrass on target.
The Quakers took the lead just before the game stopped for a drinks break – Raine glided through the centre and found Nattrass just outside the box, who took a moment before firing her ball into the far corner.
That break allowed the Mariners to regroup and find their focus in front of goal, which became critical as the game progressed.
Nesrine Maidi provided Hill with her first goal of the game with a well-timed header after half an hour.
Hill doubled her tally for the afternoon, and gave Shields the lead, shortly after the second half started after being passed through by Raffel, who would get herself in on the act almost immediately afterwards.
She weaved past a defender and charged down the line, before her shot bounced off a Darlington player as it flew into the net.
Platt’s brace then followed: Raffel laid it off to the central midfielder, who surged ahead and had ample space to guide her first strike past Amelie Crumpton.
It would be her second goal, and the team’s fifth, which would be the main talking point – she picked the ball up from range and sent an absolute rocket flying into the top corner.
There was nothing anybody could do to stop that, and it came as a welcome surprise for both herself and her teammates, as the icing on the proverbial cake.
Raine did well to get another goal back for Darlington with 14 minutes to spare, an excellent free-kick from just outside the penalty area.
But the Mariners held on and claimed another victory in their final pre-season game.
Up next is the opening game of the NERWFL Premier Division season, when Shields host Rotherham United Women – full match details will be shared soon.
Darlington FC Women: Crumpton, Graham, Johnson, Wearmouth, Bright, Harrison, Muncaster, Leach, Nattrass, Raine, Wilkinson.
Substitutes: Whitley, Williams, Doudican, E. Taylor, G. Taylor, Walker.
Goals: Nattrass (23’), Raine (76’)
South Shields Women: Yeakey, D. Sutton, Wootten, Kubik, Ford, Platt. S. Sutton, McDonald, Raffel, Hill, Maidi.
Substitutes: Miller (did not play), Reynolds, Simpson (both played).
Goals: Hill (30’, 48’), Raffel (50’), Platt (55’, 64’)