Cambridge City comfortably ran out 3-0 winners over Needham in the first part of the six-point Relegation double header.
Needham started the stronger but in a half of few chances it was a 10-minute period which cost them with two goals from Faith Harrison giving the home side a quick fire two goal lead.
The second half was like the first with just one goal from Harrison again to complete her hatrick although Needham did create more chances themselves.
They were the stronger at the start but although they were the team creating the early pressure, they failed to have any real chances on goal to trouble the home keeper.
And against the run of play Cambridge took the lead from an innocuous area of the pitch with Harrison holding up the ball not far from halfway before turning and beating Niamh Thomas for pace and curling past Danni Clarke.
If that was a shock, then a quick fire second left everyone of a Needham persuasion bewildered when Thomas was beaten in a 50/50 in the box and Harrison turned without pressure to finish in the roof of the net.
It was almost three moments later when Harrison hit the post but in terms of chances it became a premium with Needham struggling to get anything going in an attacking sense.
As expected, a response was needed and it came immediately after the break with Annie Posnett getting free on the right, her shot was saved and unfortunately Rebecca Stephenson couldn’t stretch enough to slide in at the back post.
But after that bright start Needham started to get penned in without danger until the 58th minute when a miscued cross bounced off the top of the bar and stayed in to be knocked over by Harrison on the line to cap off her hat trick.
Just as the game entered the final quarter Keira Topple unleashed a strong shot from 25 yards that needed to be pushed over for a corner.
The game petered out in the final stages with the home side victorious as both sides face each again next week at Bloomfields.
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