Women's Report: Bristol City 0-0 Saints

Remi Allen’s side got their fifth draw of the season after a valiant defensive performance against fourth-placed Bristol City, making it two draws on the bounce in the Barclays Women's Championship

Fran Stenson made crucial save after crucial save to keep the game tied, with Saints' defence standing firm to several opportunities for the home side.

Captain Jemma Purfield returned to the squad following a brief spell on the sidelines, whilst Milly Mott also returned to the starting eleven as the only other change from the last outing.

Jemma Purfield returned to the side. (Photo: George Wood/Getty Images)

Bristol City earned the first close opportunity of the game as they established early control when Emily Syme slid the ball across the face of goal, but it received no final touch.

Former Saint Lexi Lloyd-Smith then found Jamie-Lee Napier in space on the left, but Fran Stenson reacted well to drop low and protect her near post.

Stenson was on hand to make another crucial save - her best of the half - to deny a close-range back-post header from Syme that looked certain to go in but for the reflexes of Saints' No. 1.

Saints struggled to advance into Bristol City’s half for much of the first 45, and Stenson made yet another close-range block, followed by a low save to push the ball wide of danger.

The tide slowly turned in the closing stages of the half and Megan Collett, on an overlapping run, almost found the feet of Georgia Mullett but the hosts swept the ball away.

In stoppage time, Vivienne Lia drove forwards into space through the middle and forced a stretching save from Fran Bentley in Saints best chance of the first period that ended goalless at a chilly Ashton Gate.

Saints entered the second half with more life in the legs, and Molly Pike made a solo run to feed the ball out wide to Araya Dennis who forced a corner with a deflected effort.

However, Purfield’s resulting corner dropped just too deep past Pike’s head.

For the home side, Syme had the crowd on the edge of their seats with a powerful strike that Stenson was able to push clear.

Fran Stenson's put in an inspired display at Ashton Gate. (Photo: Stuart Martin)

From the following corner, Stenson made her fourth close-range save of the game before eventually claiming the ball from the air.

The Robins went close once more after a scramble in the box, but they were denied by yet another crucial save from Saints' shot-stopper's inspired display.

Down the other end of the pitch, Chloe Peplow controlled the ball nicely to then play the ball wide to Lia, who cut inside past her defender but couldn't produce the final connection towards goal.

In similar fashion to the first half, there was then another eye-catching Stenson save that stood above the rest; substitute Tara Bourne made a big block to deflect a shot, which caused Saints' England Under-23 international to adjust her feet and acrobatically tipped the ball over the crossbar.

There was one final chance as the game approached nine minutes of stoppage time and, unbelievably so, Bristol City spurned a certain winner as Napier found herself in the right place at the back post, but her touch was a mere millimeters wide.

Saints were able to see out the game for a well-deserved point ahead of the international break.

Bristol City: Bentley, Bennett (Simpson 81), Struck, Mustaki, Powell (Ward 57), Bance (Meena 57), Rodgers, Napier (c), Syme, Thestrup (Teisar 72), Lloyd-Smith.

Subs not used: Burns, O'Leary, Woolley, Durrant.

Yellow cards: Napier 25.

Southampton: Stenson, Mott, Peake (Bourne 66), Purfield (c), Collett (Wilson 57), Peplow, Harbert, Dennis, Pike, Lia, Mullett (Palmer 78).

Subs not used: Haaland, Milne, Roberts, Mallon.

Referee: Magda Golba.

Attendance: TBC