By Chris Dicketts

Gills Ladies moved back to the top of the South East Combination League after a less than comfortable victory over rivals Enfield.

The Gills took the lead when Ashlee Hincks netted after seven minutes, before Natalie Crinean added a second after twenty three minutes.

Crinean then grabbed her second goal of the game just after the half hour mark to put the Gills into what looked like an unassailable lead. Yet with half time fast approaching Kerrie Marlborough back healed home from close range.

In the second half it was a different story as Enfield pushed on and pulled another goal back through a long range effort from Bianca Baptiste.Ashlee Hincks then scored her second goal of the game to effectively seal all three points before netting her hat trick with two minutes left on the clock. There was still time for Enfield to add an eighth goal of the game thanks to a spectacular effort from Sherie Oliver.

Manager Ian Varley made one change from the side that beat Castle Colts last time out, with Laura East replacing Rachel Ahern in the centre of midfield.

The Gills started brightly and had the better of the opening exchanges, in the fourth minute Ash Hincks broke clear and played in Nat Crinean who hit her shot straight at Jo Ayre in the Enfield goal.

Just three minutes later and the Gills were 1-0 up thanks to a great run down the left wing by the impressive Deanna Cooper. She cut inside the area and played a ball across the six yard box with the outside of her boot that Ashlee Hincks slotted home.

In the 12^th minute Vicky Ashton-Jones had a glorious opportunity to increase the Gills lead but the ball ran away from her on a less than perfect pitch as Ash Hincks turned provider.

The first sight of the Gills goal for Enfield came in the 15^th minute when Sara Sinclair hit a shot from distance that was gather easily by Katie Duffy.

Captain Becky Lyon then got the first of her two assists as she played a pin point ball out of the Gills back line. Natalie Crinean immediately latched onto it and raced into the Enfield area duly dispatching her shot into the bottom corner for 2-0.

Deanna Cooper played the ball out wide to Hincks in the 28^th minute, she raced down the touchline cut into the area and side footed her shot just wide of the post.

On the half hour mark Jodie Mugford had a great chance to add to the Gills lead, when she rose unmarked and headed an Ash Hincks corner straight at the goalkeeper.

Lyon was in thick of it again for the third goal, as she provided yet another assist as she played in Natalie Crinean from distance. The striker who is on fire at the moment beat two defenders before calmly slotting into the bottom corner.

Enfield who had rarely threatened in the first half then pulled a goal back in bizarre fashion, as the Gills failed to clear their lines the ball fell to Kerrie Marlborough who back healed the ball through a crowd of players and into the net.

Hincks had a chance to score immediately after as she crafted a chance out of nothing that the Enfield keeper was grateful to gather at the second attempt.

Half Time 3-1

The second half was a totally different story as Enfield came out and really set about the Gills and had them on the back foot for most of the half.

The first real chance came in the 55^th minute when Baptiste from distance caused some concern for Katie Duffy but she gathered the shot at the second attempt.

Three minutes later and Ashlee Hincks charged down the right wing before hitting a shot that just went over the cross bar.

In the 65^th minute Becky Lyon nearly got in on the act of grabbing a goal when she rose highest and headed an Ash Hincks corner onto the cross bar.

Ten minutes later and Enfield were right back into it thanks to a world class goal from Bianca Baptiste, which nestled in the top corner from fully 30 yards.

The Gills could have panicked and let a lead slip but they kept their heads and went about trying to restore their two goal lead.

They did just that with ten minutes left, Ashlee Hincks netted her second goal of the game. Deanna Cooper was once again provider as she found Hincks in the six yard box. Her first shot hit the post but she slotted the rebound home into an empty net.

The points were sealed in the 88^th minute when Ashlee Hincks scored her hat trick; she picked the ball up in the midfield and raced towards goal before coolly smashing the ball under the stricken goalkeeper.

With the ref checking his watch Enfield hit a consolation goal to give the score line a closer feel. Sherie Oliver picked the ball up and hammered a shot into the top corner past a helpless Katie Duffy.

The Gills now move back to the top of the League on goal difference but they crucially have four games in hand over Enfield.

Girl of the Match: Deanna Cooper

Gills: Duffy, Judd, Herrett, Lyon (c), Kay, Cooper, Mugford (Ahern, 78), East, Hincks, Crinean (Russ, 87), Ashton-Jones (Johnson, 52)

Subs not used: Broad

Enfield: Ayre, Oliver, McNoil, Carty, Marlborough, Gooch, Boggi, Lovell, Baptiste, La Porte, Sinclair

Subs: Downie, Hughes, Thomas