A second-half hat-trick from Zoe Barratt earned a 3-2 win for Oxford United Women at Chatham Town Women on Sunday to move the U's up to fourth place in the Southern Premier Division.
Barratt, fresh from signing a contract extension to the end of next season, struck three times in under ten minutes as United overturned a half-time deficit to take the three points.
Oxford started well and controlled the early stages of the game, but found themselves a goal down in the 12th minute. The U's continued to dominate possession and create plenty of chances without finding the net in the first half.
United found the leveller from the penalty spot after Ukrainian midfielder Vitaliia Budaieva was brought down in the Chatham penalty area in the 53rd minute and Barratt stepped up to fire home the spot kick.
Just three minutes later Barratt struck again, this time with a superb effort from outside the penalty area into the top corner, giving the Chatham keeper no chance.
Just as it looked like United were going to run away with the game, the U's were rocked two minutes later when the home side equalised from a free kick.
However, parity lasted just four minutes before Barratt completed the scoring with her third of the game, latching onto a Kate Wiseman through ball and drilling past the keeper from inside the area.
There were no further scares for Oxford as they controlled the final stages and held on for the victory.
Coach Sam Rose said after the game: "I think we made hard work of it. We shouldn't have gone behind and shouldn't have been behind at half time. Credit to the opposition, they made it difficult in the first half for us to break them down and create too many clear-cut chances.
"Second half, we were unplayable for the first 25 minutes and went in front but again made hard work of it. There was a much-improved performance from the whole team in that first period of the second half, which got us back into the game and then got us ahead.
"Zoe's a goalscorer and is important for the team. Some of the play to create the chances for her was great. There were loads of positives, but we've not kept a clean sheet and that's the foundation for going on to win a game and control a game."
Oxford United Women: Sercombe, Provan, Wiseman, Wellesley-Smith, Jenkins, Barratt, Cook, King (Hoare), Oliver, Burridge, Budaieva
Unused subs: Russell, Trinci, Dearlove