Photo: Laura da Silva celebrates scoring for Winchester. Courtesy of Dave Bodymore.

Winchester City Flyers made it five games unbeaten in all competitions with a 4-1 win over Badshot Lea in the Southern Region Premier Division.

Laura da Silva scored a first-half brace as the Flyers overcame an early Badshot goal in the fifth minute.

Libby Wilkinson struck from range before loanee Kayleigh Tonks netted her first goal for the club to wrap up the win.

Emma Pearmine made two changes to the starting line up from the Bitton AFC win with Sam Burt missing due to illness and Annie Northwood unavailable through injury, Vinnie Nkomo and Hannah Chalk

It was a rain-soaked afternoon as Storm Ashley hit the country, and the game had started positively for the hosts.

With five minutes played Badshot broke the deadlock.

Emma Whitlock blocked the visitors' initial attack with Lydia Moulding getting on the rebound however, she was dispossessed as she looked to drive out of defence and Badshot’s forward got into the box for the high shot over Ellie Parker.

Badshot's confidence was high, and they were looking for their first win of the season. They came forward again, putting pressure on the Winchester backline.

Powell-Rowland made a crucial block and Wilkinson recovered well at times to clear the danger.

The game settled down as the Flyers found their natural rhythm and then the gaps opened up for the hosts.

Sharna Capel-Watson got forward but her cross couldn’t find a teammate in the box while da Silva’s pass for Nkomo had too much on it as the goalkeeper claimed the ball.

In the 16th minute, Winchester found the equaliser.

With the hosts passing the ball around well Whitlock saw the run of Amy Smith and played the ball down the line for the winger.

Smith drove towards the box where she cut the ball back where da Silva controlled before firing low for her first league goal.

Winchester almost had a second just moments later.

Nkomo was denied on the volley and Smith was close to her first goal with two efforts of her own before Capel-Watson forced a good save from Badshot keeper.

With under half an hour played the Flyers were forced into a substitution as Kayleigh Tonk came on to replace captain Charlie Snelling.

Shortly after Badshot went close to restoring their lead from a corner, however, Smith’s header stopped the ball going in at the far post.

It came during a strong spell for the visitors who were pressing high and causing the Winchester defence some problems.

In the 34th minute, another goal was found and it was Winchester who took the lead.

Da Silva picked up the ball from a throw in picking out Nkomo who set the ball to Wilkinson for the shot.

Wilkinson's effort was parried by the keeper which was quickly pounced on by da Silva who smashed the ball in for her second goal of the afternoon.

The Portuguese-born winger was inches away from a first-half hat-trick after she was played in by Tonks right on the edge of half-time.

Winchester came out after the break with one thing on their mind, more goals to secure the win.

Wilkinson answered the call as she struck first time on the defender’s poor clearance and despite getting her hands to the ball the keeper couldn’t keep hold of it as it crossed the line for the Flyers’ third.

Eaton was introduced shortly after and had three good opportunities to score for the second game in a row but couldn’t bury her chances this week.

The teenager did turn provider for the fourth.

Chalk found the feet of Eaton to turn and put through Tonks, who was well onside, to drive into the box to shoot low across goal for the ball to go in off the post.

Winchester controlled the rest of the game as Parker remained relatively untested since the fifth minute of the game.

The final whistle came and with it a crucial three points as the Flyers remained seventh but now just a point off of Sholing with a game in hand.

Full-time: Flyers 4 Badshot Lea 1