Brentford Women started the London and South East Premier season in superb fashion on Sunday afternoon, defeating Eastbourne Borough 4-1 at Honeycroft.
Wiktoria Kiszkis followed her strong pre-season form with an opening day brace, Ashley Cheatley and debutant Abbi Smith also getting on the scoresheet.
Carly Williams' starting line-up saw four players make their club debut, Mya Francis-Pownall, Rhian Cleverly, Smith and Georgie Giddings each taking to the pitch in their first league game for the club.
As expected for opening day of a new league season, the game started at a high intensity as both sides looked to build pressure across the early stages.
On eight minutes the Bees pieced together their best early bit of play, beginning with Asees Sangha down the left side. Her cross to Cheatley at the back post missed the forward, but Rebecca Teale was there to keep it in. Her cross into the box hit Kiszkis, but her header sailed over the bar.
Maddie Phillips enjoyed time and space through the middle of the pitch on 14 minutes before freeing up Cheatley through the backline with a neat pass. The Brentford no.16 looked to cut back to her right foot near the edge of the box, but the play was broken up by Daisy Taylor for the visitors.
Sangha looked dangerous on 21 minutes as she turned Krystal Hudson-Odoi inside out on the edge of the box and looked to loop the ball into the top right corner, but her effort sailed wide of the goal.
The stranglehold was broken a minute later. After Cheatley had consecutive shots from close range kept out by Sophia Moule in goal for the visitors, Kiszkis was there to put the ball in the back of the net for the first goal of the 2026/27 season.
Newly promoted Eastbourne continued to pose a threat despite going 1-0 down and looked to score on 28 minutes through Molly Hill, but her effort from outside the box sailed over the bar.
Kiszkis was at it again on the half-hour mark as she met Teale’s cross from the right side, however her header was secured by Moule.
Three minutes later the Sports had an equaliser. Hill took possession on the right side of the box and swiftly shot across her body, the ball sailing into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
Williams’ side immediately looked to respond down the other end. Breaking down the left side Renai McCrea played centrally to Smith. The no.15 chipped the ball over the backline to Cheatley breaking into the box, but her shot was wide left of the goal.
Two minutes later Phillips again found space through the middle of the pitch before playing to Cheatley. The forward immediately sent the ball down the right side to Teale who crossed into the box, McCrea there to meet the ball, however her shot sailed wide.
With half-time approaching the visitors looked to go ahead as Hill took possession just inside Brentford’s half. Noticing Francis-Pownall off her line in goal for the hosts she looked to score, but her shot was wide.
A minute later Williams’ side had their lead back through Cheatley. Phillips’ cross from the right side found Kiszkis at the back post, the forward immediately playing the ball centrally to Cheatley who tapped it home.
Out of the break Williams’ side started with intent and were immediately rewarded. Making a great run down the right side Teale played the ball into the box, Cheatley smartly leaving the ball to a free Smith at the back post who smashed it home to make it 3-1.
Giddings was subbed on for her Brentford debut at half-time and looked to make an immediate impact within five minutes of the restart. The ball sat perfectly for the midfielder outside the box, Giddings launching at goal off the half-volley but sending her effort wide.
Eastbourne looked to follow suit with a long-range effort through Kellie Larkin five minutes later, but her strike hit the bar before being secured by the Bees.
Smith looked to add an assist to her tally as the clock ticked over 60 minutes, the forward doing well to beat her defender on the edge of the left side of the box. She played the ball centrally to McCrea, but her shot was inches wide of the right post.
Teale was proving a hassle down the right side and was back at it on 68 minutes. Her cross from long-range found Kiszkis in the middle of the box, but her header was over the bar.
A minute later good pressure gave the Bees the ball back, Phillips immediately shooting from range as she saw Moule off her line, the effort sailing over the bar.
Ilana Harris-Walters was brought on and her fresh legs had an immediate impact for Williams’ side. Running onto Kiszkis’s pass down the right side with under 10 minutes to play, the winger beat her defender and looked to run onto the ball in the box, but Moule did well to leave her goal and clear the danger area.
On 90 minutes all three points were secured for the west Londoners as Kiszkis scored her second goal. A chaos ball in the box fell nicely for the forward, who turned and smashed it home to make it 4-1.
Brentford Women: Francis-Pownall, Phillips (Louvrier 86), Teale, Cleverly (Potter 66), Sangha (McCrea 36), Kiszkis, Smith (Harris-Walters 77), Cheatley (Berry 53), Louvrier (Giddings HT), Gilligan, Black
Eastbourne Borough: Moule, Starkey, Taylor (Finch 78), Beck (Sinden 62), Hudson-Odoi (Simmons 46 (Cram 77), Larkin, Gurr, Baitup (Hudson-Odoi 62), Griffiths (Payne 75), Dulake, Hill
Booked: Baitup 45+2, Payne 90+6