Almost five years had passed since the last league meeting between these two and on that occasion, Actonians recorded a convincing 5-1 win at a chilly Rectory Park.
Of the players on show that day, only defender Jennie Brereton was in the squad which welcomed Stevenage to Bedfont on this warm but wet afternoon in September.
After the previous Sunday's 13-1 thrashing of Ascot United, Ruby Murphy made her first start for the team, Zahmena Malik also returned to the starting line-up and Kat Turner made her first appearance of the season after a summer of injuries.

Managed by former Lioness Sian Lingham, the visitors won last season's ERWFL title by a 16-point margin and were expected to be one of the promoted clubs to do well this year. After a bad start, results had improved significantly and they headed to west London on the back of a 5-0 win over Cambridge United in the FAWNL Cup.

Still short of recognised defenders, Viv Ruettgers started at the back again for the A's and she and her colleagues were put under serious pressure in the opening minute as Teni Charles found herself through on goal only for goalkeeper Zahra Cheeseman to run out and block her effort.
Having survived this early scare, the hosts began to assert themselves as their embarrassment of attacking riches created a number of chances.
Top scorer Wiktoria Fronc threatened before a testing free-kick from captain Georgia Griffin forced a good save from Faye Hazelton.
Cheeseman was called on again to halt another break, swiftly off her line to punt clear as Stevenage's counter-attacking threat remained constant.

Shortly before the half-hour mark, the former Dulwich Hamlet stopper was in action again, flying to her right to turn Amy Makewell's effort around the post for a corner.
Having escaped again, Actonians finally made the breakthrough.

A corner from Griffin swung in viciously and would have gone straight in had Hazelton not managed to bundle into on to the post and out for another corner.
Again, Griffin sent the ball into the box and after a melee it fell perfectly for defender Olivia Clement who calmly fired it into the middle of the net, her first since the 4-2 win over AFC Sudbury in April. 1-0.
The chances kept coming with Steph McCaffrey spurning two great opportunities in less than a minute as Stevenage's defence momentarily disappeared.

The visitors picked up two bookings as they tried to hold on and at the break it remained 1-0.
As the players headed off, it was notable the praise Cheeseman was receiving from boss Jason Stephens, a reminder that the scoreline could have been very different but for her interventions.

The second half began with Kayra Karakus replacing Kendra Brown in a right-sided defensive position but it was Stevenage who made the better start with two efforts apiece from Charles and captain Sarah Wiltshire both causing problems.
Needing a goal to settle things down, the A's got it in the 55th minute when a superb ball from Griffin on the right evaded all the defenders and dropped perfectly for Fronc to nod home at the far post, her 12th of the season.2-0.

Undeterred, the visitors continued to create chances and the ever-dangerous Wiltshire lofted a ball over Cheeseman only to see it go wide.
With 20 minutes to go, a third Actonians goal was ruled out for offside but just three minutes later it did arrive as Clement headed home her second from a corner.
Before being substituted, Murphy nearly scored what would have been one of the greatest goals in FAWNL history but her powerfully hit long-range shot flew narrowly over.
In the closing stages, Wiltshire finally got her richly deserved goal, giving Cheeseman little chance with a free-kick but it was too little too late as Actonians held on for a 3-1 win.

With leaders London Bees only managing a 3-3 draw with MK Dons, it saw the A's rise to top spot for the first time this season.

POTM - Olivia Clement. Now into her fourth season at the club, the young defender has led the defensive line superbly over the opening month. Ably supported today by Ruettgers, Turner and in the latter stages by Brereton, her two goals see her pick up her second POTM of the season.

Report by James Doe