City travelled to Harlow looking to finish their league campaign in style with the Premier Division Championship depending on the result of the game.

City knew they had to be at their best on Sunday, as they had only managed to beat UG Sports on penalties in the League Cup in March.

Chelmsford had all the early play and took the lead after a quarter of an hour.

Sarah Gammon made a run through the heart of the home sides defence and the goalkeeper fumbled her cross and Paula Drane was the quickest to react and netted from close range.

Chelmsford were then punished when they failed to clear the ball properly following a corner and the home side equalised on 34 minutes.

The second half saw City determined to force the home team on the defensive and after a number of close chances, a pinpoint pass found Julie Purdon with space.

She laid the ball to Drane who in turn curled a deep inswinging cross which found the top of the net to put City back in the driving seat.

Chelmsford had to wait for the 83rd minute for their third goal when Purdon latched onto a bobbling ball in the area and placed the ball past the goalkeeper.

On 89 minutes, the result was sealed after Angelina Robinson won an important challenge in midfield.

She played a superb pass to Drane who released Keisha Ramos and her cross into the box found Purdon who made no mistake from six yards.

Superb work in defence by Elizabeth Marshall, Lisa Blundell and Kim Shirley stifled out the threat of the home forwards for most of the game while Melanie Edwards, Becky Garner, Purdon, Robinson and Ramos in midfield supported the strike force of Gammon and Drane well.

Even when Claire Hunt and Debbie Watts were introduced from the substitutes bench they linked in well with the impressive passing game City strive to play.

This performance showed the spirit within the team who can rightly claim the title of Eastern Region League Premier Division Champions.

City now have a triangular play-off with Fulham and Gillingham to decide which two teams go up into the South East Combination of the National League next season.

Chelmsford City: Bridgeman, Marshall, Shirley, Edwards (Watts), Blundell, Robinson, Garner, Ramos, Drane, Purdon and Gammon (Hunt).

At the double: Paula Drane scored two of the City goals on Sunday.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.