McGee, Rutherford and Quinn on target for Pompey
Pompey Ladies got off to a dream start as they began the season with a 3-1 victory over Chesham at Westleigh Park.
The hosts broke the deadlock after just 26 seconds when Kirsty McGee fired a shot into the bottom corner.
Newly-promoted Chesham levelled through against the run of play with a fine volley from Natalie Adams midway through the first half.
But Pompey went in ahead at the interval after Lucy Quinn (pictured left with fellow goalscorer McGee) squared the ball for Leeta Rutherford to toe-poke home.
The visitors went in search of an equaliser early in the second, but were almost caught on the counter-attack.
Quinn was left in space to rattle a 25-yard shot against the crossbar, while Rutherford also struck the woodwork a few minutes later.
But Pompey did extend their advantage when Quinn latched onto Gemma Hillier’s defence-splitting pass and slotted the ball home.
Katie Poore manages the Blues along with Perry Northeast after Vanessa Raynbird stepped down at the end of last season and was delighted to get off to a winning start.
She said: “We made a few changes in the way things were set out and the girls responded well. It’s a new era and they have given us the best possible start.
“I think I was more nervous than anybody, but scoring the early goal really helped.
“Our fitness was the difference. The goals were well worked and if we keep creating chances there will be players on the end of them.
“It was a good performance, but there are things that we can work on in order to improve.
“I was assistant to Vanessa last season, so I learned from the best. There is an added pressure to taking on the role, but training during pre-season was fantastic.
“The girls are on board 100 per cent and we have been able to keep most of our key players.”
Pompey: Blakely; Bazan, Murphy, Schumann-Edwards, Simmonds; Hunt (Frampton), McGee, Rutherford, Quinn (Cox); Hillier (c) (Bloomfield), Wilson
Subs not used: Lee, Sievwright