Cambridge City Ladies’ top scorer Faith Harrison scores hat-trick on 18th birthday in 3-0 win over Needham Market in Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division

Faith Harrison celebrated her 18th birthday in style by hitting a hat-trick for Cambridge City Ladies on Sunday, writes Robert Coe.

It secured three vital points with a 3-0 win over Needham Market as they attempt to claw their way off the bottom of the Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division.

In what manager Stewart Nicholls said was a must-win game, the Lilywhites’ top-scorer didn’t disappoint while the team kept their first league clean-sheet of the season.

City travel to Needham again in a re-match on Sunday and now have seven games to overhaul Watford, who are six points ahead of them in what promises to be an exciting end of the season with a Cambs Invitational Cup semi-final still to come.

Long Road student Harrison said: “I felt back to full fitness and it was a great team performance.

“This season has been a massive learning experience and my team mates have been so supportive. It’s my first season as a centre-forward so I have a lot to learn but feel I have developed well and hopefully will continue to improve.”

City started in assured fashion with Anais Winney controlling play in midfield as the ball was passed around with confidence.

It only took nine minutes for the birthday girl to get in on the act. Harrison picked up the ball on the halfway line and sprinted past two defenders before hitting a superb strike over the goalkeeper.

If the first goal was an individual thing of beauty, the second, seven minutes later, was a wonderful team effort. Captain Sakina Dhirani, who is looking forward to earning her first Blue in the up-and-coming Varsity football game, chested the ball down to Tye Smith on the left-wing. Smith hit a lofted ball into the path of Harrison who got her shot off despite the on-rushing keeper to double the advantage.

It was all City now and Harrison hit the woodwork after being put through by Anais Winney. She had another shot saved minutes later as the midfield dominated, the ball being re-cycled to Smith and Gabriella Giussani on the flanks as Isobel Beeson and Lexie Pryke kept things very quiet at the back.

City went down the tunnel comfortably in the ascendency and it wasn’t until after the restart that goalkeeper Erica Neale was first called into action to save at the near post.

Harrison finished off the game after 58 minutes and got her 13th goal of the season after some good play down the right by Giussani. The winger was fed by Lily Winney and took the ball to the byline to cross which bounced off the crossbar into the path of Harrison to complete her hat-trick.

It was thanks to Neale that City kept a clean sheet when she used her height to tip the ball over the crossbar before comfortably collecting a couple more shots.

Manager Nichols said: “Faith did everything we asked. When she is on her game, she is untouchable.

“Gabriella was fantastic again and caused them so many problems on the right wing in the first half. Anais started very up-tempo with her press and locking them in.

“Isobel and Lexie were brilliant, and when needed, Erica pulled off a great save in the second half to keep a clean sheet.”