Eastbourne Borough Women made it four wins in a row across all competitions after a big win away at Horsham.
Becky Simmons, Charlotte Gurr and Phoebe Cram all scored twice for Billy Wood’s side as they move up to fifth in the SCWGFL Premier table.
Sophia Burnipp was also on target in the 7-3 win at Camping World Community Stadium.
The Sports started on the front foot and got the opening goal within eight minutes. After a corner broke down, Erin Todd played the ball though to Gurr down the left. She then fired it across to Simmons waiting in the middle and six yards out fired past the keeper.
However, Borough were pegged back when the hosts drew level just two minutes later. Siobhan Bridgewater took advantage of some hesitation at the back and ran through to fire past Sophia Moule.
The Sports looked to get a grip on the game, with Gurr seeing her shot tipped over the bar by Hope Laker after a goalmouth scramble before Cram’s ball over the top played in Abbie Tucker, but her shot from a tight angle was saved by the Horsham stopper.
And Borough did regain the lead just after the half hour mark. Gurr threaded the ball through from midfield and Burnipp got the right side of her marker before holding off a challenge and slotting past Laker.
There were nearly more goals before the break, with Kellie Larkin finding Gurr in space on the edge of the area. She took the shot on, but the ball cannoned back off the bar with Laker beaten.
And the Sports had Moule to thank for going into half-time in front. Georgia Bowen latched onto a ball through to go one on one with the keeper, but Moule made a great stop just inside the area.
It took Borough just three minutes to add to their lead after the restart. Burnipp played a ball through to Simmons, who shrugged off her marker before firing past Laker.
Things then got worse for the Hornets – with keeper Laker forced off injured and midfielder Leigh-Anne Bridgewater taking over.
And her first task was to pick the ball out of the net as the Sports made it 4-1. Tucker did well to win a free-kick on the edge of the area, and Gurr expertly picked out the top corner.
It was Cram’s 18th birthday, and she was given further cause to celebrate when she made it 5-1 on 69 minutes. Tucker and Simmons combined well inside the area and the latter teed up Cram, who fired past Bridgewater from ten yards.
To their credit, the hosts didn’t give up – with only another fine stop from Moule keeping Bridgewater at bay – but Cram wasn’t to be denied a second moments later.
Tucker found room on the right to fire in a low cross which ran to the birthday girl at the far post, and she made no mistake from close range.
As ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung by the energetic support, the Sports made it seven with 74 minutes gone. Gurr won the ball in midfield and played a neat one-two with Simmons before lashing past Bridgewater at her near post.
Horsham kept plugging away, and got their just rewards late on. Bowen saw a cross-come-shot from the right go in off the far post to make it 7-2, before a lapse in concentration allowed Bridgewater to run through on goal and fire past Moule to complete the scoring.
