Portsmouth FC Women 1–2 Southampton FC Women
Westleigh Park | Attendance: 1,848 | Goal scorers: Jazmin Younger, Emma Jones, Jemma Purfield
Last Sunday, Saints headed away to Westleigh Park for their match again local rivals, Portsmouth. An amazing 1,848 fans made their way through the turnstiles, with around 400 of them being Saints fans, to witness the FA Cup and South Coast derby unfold. The mighty red and white took not only South coast pride, but also won their name in the hat for the FA Cup fourth round! Amazing! Hampshire is RED!
To start off with, that international break felt never ending, as do all of them to be quite honest, but what a match to kick off being back from the break than a South Coast derby. From the get-go, we knew this match would be a close one, Pompey have been running riot in the Southern Premier and it shows with them giving us a true test and a well contested battle. Yeah, Pompey gifted us a few things, ie a lot of their passing fell to our feet like they were panicking to get it going and away from a press, and not forgetting that goal they gifted us.
I thought that Saints played well in this match, I mean it wasn’t our best game but despite the slow start, we turned up where it mattered and showed a somewhat dominant and fiery display, which should have seen us up by a few goals just in the first half, but that Pompey keeper had those magnets, and the ball was not getting past her, well apart from the own goal and Jemma’s goal of course. A class keeper in my opinion, pulling off some great saves throughout the whole match. Speaking of keepers, hats off to our shot stopper, Beth Howard who also played an amazing game.
This match allowed us to see three of our ex players, Leeta, Beth and Georgie and it was good to see them thriving and playing their hearts out for their new club. I must say, Leeta’s still loves to get stuck in with her tackles and physicality.
Round winners and we head into the fourth round where we will be facing Sunderland away.
First half
The first half we played well, we had our usual spurts of our very nice passing and plays. Pompey also had a lot of good moments. This is the half what saw two goals go into the back of the nets, one gifted to us and one for Pompey. The first chance of the half was a shot by Beth Lumsden, Lucia was dispossessed by a Pompey player who passed it to Beth, she took a strike that went rolling wide. The next chance was for Saints, a ball from Rianna was passed out wide to Ella, she ran it forward and put it a lovely cross which Lexi lightly headed backward and out for a goal kick.
The next chance saw Lexi tackle and win the ball, she ran it forward ever so slightly and then it was again put out wide to Ella, she crossed it in in which a Pompey player tried heading out, fortunately for us she scored an own goal!! 1 nil Saints!! Pompey were quick to retaliate with Georgie Freeland taking the ball off Lucia, she either took a shot or attempted a cross but either way Beth safely received it in her arms.
A set piece saw Saints have the next chance, Lucia took a free kick which was a lovely free kick by the way, aiming for the far post but Paige just couldn’t quite get her foot to it to tap it in. Paige was next to create a chance after a beautiful, delivered ball into the area was found by Lexi, who turned and shot but it was saved by the Pompey keeper. Brilliant save by Hannah Haughton from close range. Next chance was a Pompey chance and also their goal, a free kick was delivered into the area, Emma Jones has a free run and got her head to it hustling into the back of the net. 1-1!
Atlanta Primus next with a run that saw her beat 2 players, she took a low drilled shot from outside the area straight into the hands of the keeper. First half ended, 1-1!
Second half
The second half started but our passing hasn’t been so great and we’ve been giving the ball away a lot, as well as getting really congested! We just needed to get into it and control the game as well as getting some movement off the ball. First chance of the second half was from Saints, Ella put a ball forward which was picked up by Rianna, she looked up and saw Hannah off her line so went for the chip, it hit the crossbar and rebounded out to Lexi who just couldn’t finish it.
Next chance was from Pompey, a lovely ball was put into the area and found by their striker, she managed to get to it and crossed it across goal line, luckily their player didn’t get to it! Next chance by Saints, another very close call too, Lexi crossed it into the area in which Sophia got her head to it, she hit the post and was then cleared. Next chance was the goal, Ella threw it to Rianna who the passed it back to Ella, she crossed it in front of goal and Jemma headed it home! 2-1 Saints!!
Saints stepped up again with a chance, Rianna put it forward to Molly running on the wing, she got hold of it and then took it into the area, she shot but it was saved by Hannah. Another chance for Saints which saw Milly run it into their half, she passed it to Molly who was in support, Molly squared it to Wilko which saw her take a shot, the shot rolled past the far post.
That was the last chance of the match, Saints 2-1 winners! The south coast is ours!
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