Axminster Ladies set off to Bradninch in a bid to start how they intended to carry on - and did so in style. In hot, muggy conditions following a month's break with cancelled games, after a slow start to the match the pace was soon set as the Tigers got back to their goal-scoring ways. A great start was made to the league campaign with the ladies scoring nine goals and maintaining a clean sheet.

With some exciting signings over the summer, a number of players were making their debut, including Poppy Cloke, Lily Wheeler, Flo Halkyard, Rachael Poole, Chelsea Petherbridge, Lorna Button, Ella Richardson and Miki Winkler, all getting in valuable minutes on the pitch, making a great impression and slotting into the team perfectly.

The Tigers have welcomed Willow Sky to the team. She has already made an impression in pre-season friendlies but is currently recovering from injury. As well as welcoming players, some had what would be their last game, or one of a few games for the season, before heading off to university. Good luck to Maddie Carter, Josie Stebbings, Louise Wyatt, Rachael Poole, Laura-Beth Outram and Frankie Stead in your next ventures.

With both teams looking well matched in the first ten minutes, maintaining possession of the ball, passing, defending and attempts on goal, it was Tigers' Poppy Cloke who opened up the scoring, slotting the ball past the keeper to open the scoring. Ella and Josie took charge of the back-line, ensuring any attempts at a counter-attack were soon swept up by with team mates Frankie and Nicky either side of them. Anything that got past the defence was quickly dealt with by keeper Hebe Dyer.

Just a few minutes later, Cloke struck again to put the Tigers 2-0 up with Kitty Deemstone assisting well and putting some great passes through to the frontline. Striker Louise Wyatt took advantage of the momentum Cloke had created, going one-on-one with the keeper and firing it into the net to make it 3-0 before half-time.

With a taste for scoring, after half-time substitutions, debutant Lily Wheeler came on and added her name to the sheet, slotting it past the keeper a few minutes into the second half. Maddie Carter also came off the bench at half-time and didn't need long to warm into the game, putting two past the keeper in the 50th and 54th minute, taking Tigers to 6-0.

Flo Halkyard worked hard on the wing, taking possession and putting in some great passes and crosses leading to another debutant, Lorna Button, who had shown great promise in training, adding her name to the score-sheet in style, dribbling through the defence to slot it past the keeper. Minutes later, despite being through on goal, she unselfishly passed to Chelsea Petherbridge who had an open goal and took the opportunity to put the Tigers 8-0 up, having already had a cracking strike save by the home keeper.

Josie Stebbings, having held the back-line to keep a clean sheet, suffered a concussion and gad to come off. Cloke found herself back on the pitch and scored the last goal of the game, completing her hat-trick and securing a 9-0 win for the Tigers.

A special thanks to Josh Marlow for stepping up as linesman for the game.