Barnet Ladies FC 8 : Norwich City Ladies FC 3

South East Combination League Sunday 19 December 2004

At Hanwell Town FC

Barnet FC Ladies ended 2004 in style with a crushing 8-3 victory over NorwichCity on Sunday 19 December.Stacey Sowden weighed in with her fourth hat trick of the season to take her goalscoring tally to 17 goals in only 5 starts for the Bees.There was also a three-goal return for Hayley Johnson who was only introduced to the match as a substitute late in the first half for the injured Abi Naugher.

A Hat Trick for Hayley Johnson

The first half of this match was a fairly even affair with Barnet struggling to find their impressive form of late.With former Barnet midfield player Emily Lown directing operations, the Barnet back four was placed under intense pressure in the first half.However, when the visitors did find a way through to goal Jess Devoti, who was in excellent form, often thwarted them.

Norwich could have scored in the opening minutes as the result of an amazing goalmouth scramble, but for every attacker who tried to force the ball home, a Barnet defender was on hand to prevent a goal.

Indeed it was Barnet who took the lead through Stacey Sowden whose electrifying pace and cool finishing was a constant threat to the Norwich defence.Sowden also scored Barnet's second goal, which came after a Norwich equaliser, to give the Bees a 2-1 interval lead.

4th Hat Trick Of The Season for Stacey Sowden

Norwich began the second half positively as they searched for a second equaliser.However, it was Barnet who turned on the style with some exhilarating football in the second period.It seemed that every attack they mounted ended in a goal.

Sowden completed her hat trick and their were also goals from Beth Curtis (her 21^st of the season) and Katie O'Donoghue.However, it was Hayley Johnson who stole the show after she was introduced as a substitute.'Heskey' as she is known to her teammates was willing to follow up other's shots and benefited from the hard work of her colleagues to net from close range.Her third goal came after a thunderous strike from Danielle Richards had rebounded from the cross bar.

Norwich City scored twice late in the game to give the scoreline a modicum of respectability from their point of view, but it was the Bees who ran out winners by 8-3 and extended their unbeaten league run to six matches.

Barnet Team: Jess Devoti; Hannah Macey, Hannah Grover, Katie Wicka, Laura Shackel; Abi Naugher, Charlie Longuehaye, Tina Keech, Katie O'Donoghue; Beth Curtis, Stacey Sowden.

Substitutes: Hayley Johnson (for Abi Naugher); Danielle Richards (for Beth Curtis); Kerry O'Connor (for Tina Keech).

Goalscorers: Stacey Sowden (3), Hayley Johnson (3), Beth Curtis, Katie O'Donoghue.