Eastern Avenue Under-18 Girls beat Tigers 4-3 in a thrilling encounter in the Essex County Girls League on Sunday.

Fielding a full 11 for the first time this season, Eastern started well and were a goal up on five minutes through Ashleigh Lewis-Shodeinde.

However, the Herons were almost immediately caught too narrow and Tigers exploited the space on the flanks to equalise with a fine strike.

Tigers had the bit between their teeth and were the better team for the next 20 minutes, and it was the home side who took the lead soon after.

Eastern responded by improving their shape and increasing the tempo, with debutantes Savanna Small and Katie Peers pulling the play wide and finding space behind the hosts’ back line.

It was the impressive Peers who restored parity late in the first period, driving in from the left before flashing the ball across the goal and into the bottom corner.

Not to be outdone Small curled a beauty over the Tigers keeper and inside the far post from wide to send the visitors in at half time with a 3-2 advantage.

Although looking occasionally frail at the back, the Herons dominated after the restart with the lively Lewis-Shodeinde keeping the Tigers defence occupied and going close on a number of occasions.

Peers added a fourth with a solo run and emphatic finish as the visitors took control in a fine spell when there might have been more but for the width of the post and some fine work by the Tigers’ keeper.

The home side pulled a goal back against the run of play to set up a frantic last 15 minutes but Eastern held on for an enthralling victory.