A double hat-trick from Nikki Saunders and Kirsty Matthews along with two Chloe Logie strikes saw Brentford Women’s First Team put eight past UCL Academicals in the Third Round of the Capital Cup.

In what was their first competitive fixture of 2023, the Bees showed unbelievable intensity in the opening stages of the game with it only taking eight minutes to get the opener.

A brilliant cross-field pass from Chloe Webb found Matthews on the right flank who helped the ball into Logie’s path, the number nine displayed her lethal finishing as she smashed the ball into the top corner to put her side in front.

Logie took her goal tally to 15 for the season after she made it 2-0 on 17 minutes when captain, Mollie Holmes played a wonderful pass to the striker who went on to calmly slot the ball into the bottom corner.

UCL Academicals seemed to be completely blown away by the Brentford pressure as they struggled to get out of their own half and the hosts struck again just four minutes later.

Saunders did well to find herself in space 25 yards out from goal and unleashed a powerful shot which flew past Lea Poydon in the visitors net.

The Brentford number 12 made it four on 24 minutes with her second goal almost replicating the first.

Again, the attacker was allowed time to shoot from long-range with her effort lobbing Poydon for the second time in just a few minutes, leaving UCL Academicals with a mountain to climb before the game had even reached the half-hour mark.

The home team were playing some impressive football and Logie nearly sealed her hat-trick after an excellent move, but her shot was cleared off the line by Mia Taylor.

Matthews was causing all sorts of problems for the away side’s defence and the winger got Brentford’s fifth on 41 minutes.

The number 15 showed great determination to win the ball back on the right side of the opposition's box and proceeded to curl her shot into the top corner, ensuring her side go into the break with a five-goal advantage.

Despite creating very little in the first half UCL Academicals played some good football in the opening minutes after the break, but Brentford quickly took control of the game not long after.

On 54 minutes Matthews got her second after she finished off a wonderful move which involved the other two goal scorers.

Saunders clipped a lovely ball over the top of the visitor’s defence to find Logie whose cutback pass to Matthews was perfect allowing the forward to simply slot the ball home with her first time shot.

The away side did manage to pull one back through substitute Ellie Lock, the midfielder showed good skill to volley the ball past stand-in goalkeeper Cara Graham from outside the box.

Brentford soon got back to scoring themselves though, as Saunders sealed her hat-trick on 64 minutes.

After showing good pace to skip around the opposition’s left back the forward attempted to deliver a deep ball into the box but Saunders was in luck as her attempted cross sneaked in at the far post without a touch.

The Bees could have ended the game with three players who had scored a hat-trick if Logie managed to finish her chance on 70 minutes, but Poydon made a smart save after the striker’s effort from 10 yards.

Matthews sealed the victory after she got her third on 86 minutes and ended what was a brilliant day for the Women’s First Team as she thumped the ball into the top corner from just inside the box, leaving Head Coach Karleigh Osborne over the moon with his side’s performance.

Speaking after the game, Osborne said: “It was a really good team performance, we played some really good football which was pleasing and there were some fantastic goals.

“Once we got into our stride, we were virtually unstoppable so it was an amazing afternoon.”

Despite Brentford playing a side who are in the league below, Osborne was delighted by the ruthlessness his team and especially the three goal scorers displayed.

“We showed how good we are when we are on it and they couldn’t get near us for the majority of the game.

“Those three (Chloe, Nikki and Kirsty) linked up really well, some of the football they played was brilliant, they’re really talented players and they’re doing well.”

Due to injury, Osborne was forced into making a few changes to his side which included moving Saunders into a more central position which certainly paid off.

Talking on his squad selection, Osborne explained: “We’re fortunate that we have a lot of talented players, Sophie (Troth) and Jodie (Reid) can both play in that number 10 role, but Nikki was outstanding in there today.

“I was really pleased for her because she was involved in everything that went well for us today and I sometimes think that she doesn’t know how good she is, but she deserves all the plaudits after that performance.”