Needham Market have lost on the road 4-1 to Enfield Town to hand the home side their first win of the season.
In an even first half the home side took the lead through Marta Borica Boabonay with a neat chip over Danni Clarke before Lucy Loomes made it three in two matches from the spot.
But Enfield dominated the second period and scored two excellent long-range strikes from Renea Jarrett and Shakira Waithe before bundling a fourth from a corner from Tayla Dennis late on.
Both teams had early chances in this one with Enfield seeing a long range shot drift wide before Loomes got free, but she couldn’t control the ball and her shot sliced into the side netting.
The game had started to settle but out of nowhere Enfield led as a long first-time ball curled to the far edge of the box, which saw Boabonay get in ahead of her full back and she calmly chipped the ball high over Clarke and into the empty net.
Needham looked dangerous going forward and were level quickly thanks to good work from the impressive Cate Jackson being bundled for a clear penalty – which Loomes tucked into the bottom left corner.
Clear chances dried up with Enfield trying shots from range, but it was late in stoppage time when Jackson tried an audacious lob and the keeper pushed onto the bar before grabbing on the line.
The second half started like the first but just after the hour mark the home side regained the lead with a long-range thunderous strike from Jarrett.
After that the home side dominated with Clarke making two or three excellent saves before eventually Waithe tucked one into the top corner from outside the box as the game entered the final 10 minutes.
And they added gloss with a late fourth as Dennis bundled from close range as Needham failed to clear an in-swinging corner into the centre of the box to end a disappointing day.
It was a tough opening for the Development side as they faced defending Suffolk League champions Brantham at Bloomfields, and it proved to be as they came out with a 5-1 defeat.
Former Needham Player Ella Long opened the scoring and added to it before Hannah Cobbold reduced the arrears for the home side.
Lucy Dunnett returned the two-goal lead before the break, and it was the champions who went on to add to their lead with goals from Stacey Teager and Mleah Wright in the second period.
It was a tough start to the league campaign and as the first team host Luton Town next week the development team will be on the road next week as they travel to Stowupland Falcons.
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