City Women in Seven Heaven

Stacey Gillies helped herself to a hat-trick as Exeter City Women stormed to a 7-0 victory on their debut in the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier against MK Dons Women.

The star striker - on her 50th appearance for the club - was in clinical form, netting twice in a first half in which the Grecians led 4-0 at the break.

Sarah Stacey gave City the perfect start, netting from the penalty spot on 17 minutes, after Amber Pollock was upended in the box by a rash challenge from a Dons defender.

Gillies then doubled the home side’s lead on the half-hour latching onto a through ball from Zoe Cunningham before dispatching a sweet finish past captain Anna Draper in the visiting goal.

City were ruling the roost in all departments and it came as no surprise that that added a third not long after, Gillies again on the mark dispatching a finish across the Dons goal after a flick-on from strike partner Stacey.

As half time approached, things got even better for Abbie Britton’s side as they added a fourth, Emily Toogood heading home unopposed from a corner.

It would get no easier for Dene Walsh’s Dons in the second period as City continued to dominate proceedings. Great link-up play involving Toogood and Pollock saw the latter released down the left wing, before she fired in a cross that was met at the front post by Gillies to claim her hat-trick.

Stacey made it a half dozen for City on 66 minutes, poking home from close range, before captain Bo Jackson rounded things off injury time when she was able to slot a seventh with a finish at the back post from a Toogood cross.

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