Oxford United Women beat local rivals Swindon Town Women 4-0 in a pre-season friendly this afternoon.
Oxford found the lead early on through summer-signing Zoe Barratt, with Daisy McLachlan doubling their lead shortly after the break. McLachlan then got a second from range before a Trialist wrapped it up in the 85th minute to make it 4-0.
Believe it or not, this was the first pre-season fixture in two weeks where the U’s played under (relatively) rain-free skies, and nothing was going to dampen derby day delight.
The U’s moved the ball well from the get-go and found the lead in the eighth minute. McLachlan won the ball back pressing high and slid in Barratt one-on-one to finish calmly into the bottom right corner.
New recruits Izzy Cook and Barratt were full of energy, the former almost scoring a wonderful solo goal in the 17th minute, knocking the ball round her full-back and seeing her ferocious strike parried well by the Swindon keeper.
Paris Sercombe was excellent coming off her line to sweep up any potential danger, with 16-year-old centre half Cecily Wellesley-Smith forming a strong relationship with the experienced Jaime Gotch in front of her.
Barratt so nearly had her second five before half time when Swindon’s trialist keeper struck the ball in to the onrushing U’s striker. Barratt won the second ball, but was denied by the recovering auditioner and the Yellows went in one up.
Oxford stepped it up after the break, and doubled the lead almost instantly after the restart when Georgia Hayes' cross was half-vollyed home emphatically by McLachlan in the 47th minute.
Lily Stevens and Leah Burridge set the tempo in the middle of the pitch, the latter drilling a strike just wide of the post on the hour mark.
McLachlan added a second for herself and a third for the U's from the edge of the box into the bottom corner before Hayes was replaced by Hannah Mackenzie soon after, with new addition Kate Wiseman and a Trialist given 25 minutes to affect the game.
A Trialist then scored United's fourth with a ferocius strike with five minutes to play to round off a strong derby win.
In the end, a comfortable victory for the U's with some excellent combinations showing in the final third, and a strong unit being built at the back.
The U's now have one more pre-season test against Wolves Women next weekend before the season begins on the 20th of August at MK Dons away.
LINEUP: Sercombe, Provan, Gotch, Wellesley-Smith (Sherwood 67'), Hayes (Mackenzie 57'), Stevens, Cook (Wiseman 64'), Burridge (Trialist 67'), King (Trialist 64'), Barratt (Liggett 67'), McLachlan