From Devon Live:
Exeter City Women complete perfect week with 4-0 win over Larkhall Athletic
The Grecians cut the gap to the top to just two points after Sunday's win.
Exeter City Women cut the gap to just two points at the top of the table after a convincing 4-0 win over Larkhall Athletic.
A confident team performance saw four different goal scorers, as the team also made it consecutive clean sheets in front of a record league crowd of 151 at Speeds Meadow.
Sunday’s win followed the 7-0 triumph at Buckland Athletic on Wednesday night, and while the Grecians stay third in the National League Division One South West table, the gap on the leaders has been cut after Chesham United’s surprise loss to Southampton.
The Grecians are two points behind Chesham and new pace-setters Cheltenham United, but have the best goal difference of anyone in the division, and could be top by next Sunday.
After the game settled in intensity, City began to dominate. Mollie Taylor was surging forward with every opportunity and her back post cross was narrowly hit over by Mia Preston in the game’s first big chance.
Taylor was to play the role of provider once more just a minute later, another deep cross, this time Emily Toogood unable to convert the headed chance.
The Larkhall counter was proving a threat, a lofted pass over the City backline found Rhian Robbins and her lobbed effort went over Abbi Bond in the Grecians goal and wide, it was the visitor’s best chance of the game.
But Taylor was just as problematic for the Somerset side’s defence, and it was her work that led to the first goal on 19 minutes. Her shot hit the top of the crossbar before bouncing back into the path of Toogood, and both she and Anthea Kaptein had efforts on goal, before the defender got enough contact on the ball to find the net. It was a lead City deserved and had come from a source that had been a likely provider of that first goal.
On the half hour, it was two. Jess Sandland made a break from midfield moments later and was brought down by Larks’ goalkeeper Abi Footner.
A lengthy spell of treatment for Footner followed, but she could do nothing with Kaptein’s perfectly placed low spot kick to give City a two goal cushion.
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The home side were now in dominant mood, and the third followed on 34 minutes.
Preston and Toogood interchanged neat link up play in a wide area and, once Toogood’s cross found Phoebe Baker, and the City midfielder drilled home a third.
The second half began in a similar fashion to the end of the first, City working hard for their chances, as they looked to put the game beyond any doubt.
Esme Kilburn-Thompson battled to win possession and, as she attempted a shot on goal, the Larks substitute keeper tipped the effort onto the cross bar and away to safety.
City would end the game with only ten players, as captain Manfy Sharpe unfortunately picking up an injury with all substitutions made, but it would not stop the Grecians ending the game with a flourish.
Zoe Watkins slalomed through a series of midfield challenges before laying the ball off for Connie Pengelly, the City forward hit the shot on the turn, finding the bottom corner to complete a good afternoon’s work.
The call from the management going into this week was to pick up six league points, to do so by scoring eleven goals and conceding none, will be particularly pleasing.
The National League is starting to look increasingly tight at the top, City will travel to Portishead, who sit fourth in the table, next weekend looking to improve upon their lofty third position in the current standings.
Co-manager Aaron Wakley, of the week's work, said: "We wanted six points and two clean sheets at the start of the week and we did very well to nullify then and keep the clean sheet which is what we were after."
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