Nche treble sees Whitchurch ease to victory against Gloucester City Reserves

Ilarna Nche moved onto nine goals for the season with a hattrick in Whitchurch Ladies’ 4-0 win over Gloucester City Women Reserves on Sunday afternoon.

Nche’s goals came after Faith Constable’s opener as Whitchurch made it two wins in their opening two league games in 2026 and they are yet to concede – seeing them move into 2nd place in the South West Regional Women’s Football League Division One North table.

For the hosts, a disappointing first half saw them go into the break 2-0 down after conceding a third inside the first two minutes of the restart it was too big a mountain to climb.

City Reserves looked a lot more balance in the second half, with the introduction of Dani Bullock in midfield and make shift keeper, Alisha Kantorowicz, swapping the gloves for the striker position, however, Sophia Isaac’s clean sheet was barely in any danger.

Gloucester remain eight points clear of the bottom three, but have played four more matches than the sides directly below them.

Both sides are without a game for at least two weeks, with City hosting Bitton on Sunday 22 February, whilst Whitchurch aren’t back in action until the first weekend of March – where they head to Downend Flyers Women.

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The game started with Whitchurch on the front foot and Holly Longman getting across the near post – only to side foot against the foot of it.

Lisa Mansell played a delightful through ball for Neve McAusland moments later, but the City winger was unable to get her shot off as Isaac rushed from her line.

And on 13 minutes, Whitchurch opened the scoring as Constable was found on the left side of the box and fired across goal and into the bottom corner with a tidy finish.

Constable nearly added a second five minutes later, but after beating two players into the City box, fired straight at Kantorowicz.

Nche should have made it 2-0 on 24 minutes, as she ghosted into space at a Constable corner, but sent her header wide from about eight yards.

City’s best opening came on the half hour mark, but after McAusland played lovely pass round the corner, Molly Reeves scuffed wide from a great position.

And that miss proved costly as the visitors doubled their lead before the break, this time a Constable corner was initially punched clear by Kantorowicz, only to be hooked back in and Nche was on hand to head home this time around.

Kate Ambrey donned the gloves for the second half and within 90 seconds was picking the ball out of her net as another corner was initially punched down, only to be headed back into the danger zone.

Unfortunately for Ambrey, she was left sprawling as a clearance hit Nche before looping up and into the net in agonising fashion.

But with the visitors now three goals to the good and without subs, they sat in and allowed City to try and break them down, with centre back Jess Taylor particularly impressive as she stepped in and cleared everything.

Bullock and the now out on pitch Kantorowicz, alongside Nalani Lasmarias were positive introductions for City and they did look more dangerous going forward.

Lasmarias sent an effort over on the hour mark, before Bullock was picked out by Kantorowicz before stinging the palms of Isaac.

Kantorowicz also tried her luck from range, but once again Isaac was able to collect easy enough.

And then in the final five minutes, Whitchurch added their fourth and Nche sealed her hattrick as she was found by a Hannah Gillett cross into the box, turning well before slotting past Ambrey.

At full time, Whitchurch were understandably delighted, whilst City will know there were positives to take from the game but they came up against a clinical side on the day.

Gloucester City Women Res: Kantorowicz, I Mansell, Johnson, Baldwin, Deveau, Feighery, L Mansell, Smith, McAusland, Reeves, Rivers

Subs: Bullock, Lasmarias, Ambrey, Fletcher, Dallimore

Whitchurch Ladies: Isaac, Gillett, Cleverley, Longman, Nche, Gammon, Constable, Taylor, Wilson, Stevenson-Smith, Rich

C Martin Roofing Player of the Match – Jess Taylor (Whitchurch Ladies)