Four goals from Charlene Moreton helped rescue a 5-3 derby win for Colney Heath Ladies over St Albans but skipper Sheree Oliver admitted they had made life very hard for themselves.
The Lady Saints had raced into a 3-1 half-time lead thanks to two goals from Ellie Lovelock and one for Sophie Hull and there was the distinct possibility of an upset for the side who play two divisions below their hosts.
A Samiara Khan penalty had kept the Magpies in it before the break and three goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second period dramatically changed the outlook of the contest.
St Albans still had chances, the best of them from Lovelock with a looping shot that landed on the roof of the net.
That was when it was still 3-2 but an ambitious effort from the left wing by Moreton, affectionately known as Wiggy, in the last few minutes sealed the game.
Oliver said: "We struggled in the first half up the hill and against the wind. We did make it very difficult but the way we reacted in the second half was more Colney.
"We were a shadow of who we were last week against Royston in the first half but we wanted a reaction in the second half and we got it.
"We gave them too much time on the ball, we weren't playing our football and we just weren't good enough.
"There were a few choice words at half-time and a few slammed doors and we were just left to it.
"Wiggy popped up with four but to get one early in the second half was a major thing for us.
"That set the tempo for the second half. We dominated a lot of it but they still had chances.
"The one that dropped on the top of the net was a wake-up call.
"We need to get out of the blocks a bit quicker."
For Moreton it turned into a perfect day but she was quick to thank her team-mates.
She said: "We had to do some work after our first half performance but we believe in our ability to come back.
"We all played our part, we all worked hard and that allowed me to finish some of them off.
"We under-estimated them a bit and we probably went into the game like we shouldn't have.
"But we came out in the second half like the Colney we are and the four goals obviously helped.
"I couldn't do it without my team-mates though."
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