Swindon Spitfires Under 16s returned to league action with a 3-1 success over Sarum Youth.

After a bright opening few minutes from the home side, Sarum started to hit Spitfires on the break, catching thier defence static, and twice goalkeeper Chloe Mason was forced to intercept dangerous through balls.

The first half then developed into a stalemate, which was broken when Amy Connaghan slipped a pass to Charley Reynolds on the edge of the box and she lofted an effort over the keeper to make it 1-0 to the Spitfires.

The hosts then created some decent play down the right had side but numerous shots and crosses that went straight to the keeper at the near post.

Sarum came close to equalising when they released a shot from outside the area, which whizzed past the post with the Spitfires keeper flat-footed.

Spitfires started the first half positively, with more control in the middle, but were nearly caught out when another long ball from Sarum evaded the defence and Mason had to go head-to-head with the advancing forward.

She blocked the shot and collided with the forward and the loose ball was driven goalbound, only for the strike hit the bar.

Spitfires improved second half work-rate created the opportunity to make it 2-0 when Abby Fuller intercepted a ball in the middle and released a pass to Poppy Cotterill, who broke through the defence and whipped in a diagonal cross.

Amy Connaghan timed her run well and drilled home the ball to score her side’s second of the afternoon.

Sarum were now under pressure but were able to still be dangerous on the break and Mason again was called upon to pull off a great save to her left to maintain her clean sheet.

Spitfires managed to make the three points secure when Reynolds’ pass to Kat Reynolds sent her on a mazy run before she released a stinging shot into the roof of the net to make it 3-0.

In the closing stages, Sarum’s fast breaking up front finally paid off when the defence were caught in no man’s land and the Sarum forward this time avoided the keeper’s advances before netting a consolation goal.