Photo: Charlie Snelling heads in to make it 2-1. Credit: Hayley Newman

Winchester City Flyers held off a physical Chesham United side to win 3-2 away from home in the Southern Region Premier Division.

Freya Twigg opened the scoring early, but United pulled back within a minute; Charlie Snelling and Chelsie Hay both scored before the break.

Chesham pushed the Flyers hard in the second-half but could only score once more as the visitors held on for the win.

Emma Pearmine’s side came into the game off the back of two huge wins in the league and FA Cup, looking for their first away win of the season.

Fresh off her cup hat-trick, Annie Northwood started as Chloe Tucker and Ellie Parker returned to the starting lineup.

Snelling had an early opportunity to score but was denied by good defending before Tucker headed wide from the resulting corner.

The deadlock was broken in the eighth minute thanks to Twigg’s first Flyers goal.

Snelling flicked the ball onto Hay, who did the same, finding the teenager to slot home the opener.

The lead was short-lived as Chesham’s Molly Peters scored with a lovely finish less than a minute later.

Things got intense as both sides pushed for another goal; there were a couple of chances within minutes of each other.

Abbie Green was denied by good defending before Hay’s rebounded effort was stopped by Swallow.

Down the other end, Parker was forced into a big block with a second shot deflected out for a corner.

With 18 minutes played, Snelling put the Flyers back in front, nodding home Emma Whitlock’s corner.

Shannon Swallow denied Hay a great chance to make it 3-1, her right foot stretching to block the shot.

The striker did get her goal just before the break.

Emma Bebbington was caught sleeping on the ball as Hay knicked the ball off her and drove into the box where, on the second attempt, she found the back of the net.

There were a couple of early chances for the Flyers; Cesca Thornton had a long-range effort claimed by Swallow before Snelling then struck the post.

Lily Peterson scored Chesham’s second of the afternoon when the ball was slid through to her in space to race into the box for a neat finish.

Things turned more physical as both sides conceded several freekicks, one saw Sharna Capel-Watson go into the referee's book.

Chesham had the wind in their sails in the second-half but couldn’t find the opening for a third goal.

Winchester dug in and fought to the end to ride out a 3-2 win, picking up a hard-fought three points to keep them in touch with the top three sides.

Full-time: Chesham United 2 Flyers 3

Starting XI: Ellie Parker, Sharna Capel-Watson, Charlie Snelling, Lydia Moulding, Chelsie Hay, Freya Twigg, Emily Wernham, Annie Northwood, Emma Whitlock (C), Abbie Green, Chloe Tucker.

Bench: Libby Wilkinson, Charlotte Warhurst, Cesca Thornton, Sian Wylie.