SOUTHEND & Benfleet go into the Christmas break sitting pretty in second place in the Essex Premier League after a gritty 3-2 win at home to Romford.

It was a frantic opening and S&B’s youngest player Ellen Taylor had to be on her game to keep the hosts at bay.

At the other end, the S&B forward line were clicking into gear and, from a short corner, Sarah Conway powered home to give her team a 1-0 lead.

Kirsty Edmunds made it 2-0 after a trademark run through the defence that ended her coolly slotting past the keeper.

Leading 2-0 at the interval, the home team decided to drop a forward back into midfield and that took away some of their impetus.

Romford took advantage of that and powered home a short corner to start their comeback.

Another short corner shortly after brough the same end product as Romford drew level and had all the momentum.

Home goalkeeper Lisa Hawkins then produced a string of stunning saves to keep S&B level.

Hawkins diverted one rocket shot over the cross bar, before producing a diving save that blocked another shot from the back of the goal.

Having soaked up the pressure, S&B sprung forward and scored what would prove to be the winner as Ashlie Colman slipped the ball past the visiting keeper to the relief of the home players.

If anything, S&B could have gone on to extend their lead with Edmunds picking up a nasty head injury in her bid to add a fourth.

The player of the match award was shared between Edmunds and Hawkins.

l Southend & Benfleet’s second team had a great result against old rivals East London, coming out 4-1 winners.

Hannah Daish’s hat-trick earned her the player of the match vote, and the other goal came from Felicity Galbally on her first appearance for the second team. The third team were without a game.