Report by Josh Bailey

Sutton United Women came from behind to beat Sport London e Benfica Ladies in their first game of the new season.

In a spectacular second-half comeback, the U’s scored three goals in 13 minutes to turn the game on its head and give Lucy Clarke’s side the perfect start to the London & South East Regional League Premier League Division campaign in Cobham.

However, it wasn’t the start Sutton had spent all summer dreaming of, when Natalia Debek fired the visitors into the lead after just six minutes, pouncing onto the ball which was deflected into her path from the crossbar.

In a fast-paced 10 minutes, Sutton didn’t trail for long, with Emma Spear slotting past the keeper into the bottom right-hand corner to bring the scores level.

Last year’s fixture ended 0-0 but this match-up was vastly different, with both sides sharing chances before Sport London e Benfica snatched back their advantage through Tyla Fullagar, who finished clinically from close range.

It was a good response from the U’s with forwards, Spear and Gabrielle Williams, missing multiple chances to bring their side level, meaning Sutton trailed unfairly going into the break.

Despite a good first half, Lucy Clark felt a change was needed, bringing on Eden Clark for Louise Dunne for the second 45 minutes. This substitution would change the game, lighting a spark in the U’s that inspired an incredible turnaround.

After being on the pitch for just over 10 minutes, Clarke dragged Sutton level, finding the bottom corner from a beautiful Milly Cutler through ball. Then, on the 65th minute, Spear had her second, putting her first-half misses behind her to give Sutton the lead, and before the clock could hit the 70th minute, Sutton had their fourth thanks to Williams’s incredible top corner strike on her debut.

It was a breathless second-half from Sutton that left Sport London e Benfica stunned and unable to claw themselves back into the match. Time after time, the U’s attack cut through their defence, and as the game came to a close, Millie German scored another Sutton worldie before Williams grabbed her second, to top off an impressive debut.

Next week, Clarke’s side will look for another inspired performance as they travel to last season’s high flyers Dartford, while Sport London e Benfica will host Ebbsfleet United.

Sutton: Megan Taylor, Zoe Walters, Beth Humphrey, Tessa Allen, Millie German, Sophie Modak (Amy Warren), Louise Dunne (sub Eden Clark), K’shaela Burch-Waldron (sub Phoebe Warren), Milly Cutler (sub Amber Taylor), Gabrielle Williams, Emma Spear

Sport London e Benfica: Mamet Barclay, Kendal Drake, Rosie Redman, Priyangha Senthilvasan, Georgia Frost, Louise Sollis, Lily-rose Dyer, Monica Lopes Ferreira, Renata Ferreira, Natalia Debek, Tyla Fullagar