Published:

Women's Report: Durham 1-0 Saints

2024-25/Women's Team/Matchdays/Barclays Women's Championship/20250126 Durham vs Southampton/GW019817_K30Onym1_copy_nucqnx

Southampton FC Women suffered a narrow defeat against Durham in a game of fine margins in the Barclays Women's Championship.

A handful of Fran Stenson saves and a late set of chances weren’t enough to see Saints return home from Maiden Castle with any points as Mollie Lambert's solitary goal was the difference.

Debut starts were given to Arsenal loanees Laila Harbert and Vivienne Lia, who got stuck into the contest with a handful of set-pieces and shots on goal.

Aston Villa loanee Georgia Mullett made her first appearance as a second half substitute, whilst Paige Peake was handed her first start in three games.

Saints' line-up at Maiden Castle. (Photos: George Wood/Getty Images)

Durham created the first set of scoring opportunities at a blustery but, thankfully, dry Maiden Castle; their forward outlet of Lambert could only cut the ball back across the face of goal after getting on the receiving end of a neat pass from Hannah Blake.

The hosts then forced a corner, but Grace Ayre’s header dropped behind the crossbar before their first on-target attempt came from a powerful Lambert strike that was kept out by a strong save from Stenson.

Saints countered quickly as they looked to make their mark on the game, but Vivienne Lia’s attempt on goal flew over the crossbar.

An inswinging corner from Lia then tested Rylee Foster the closest, as Durham's new arrival in goal needed to tip the ball over her own crossbar.

At the other end, however, Lambert found herself through on goal again when she robbed Chloe Peplow of possession and charged forwards, cutting inside to finish low past Stenson and open the scoring.

Saints fought back through a ten-minute period of end-to-end play, but no final product was created.

Durham's Beth Hepple broke the shot-free period with an outside-the-box effort, but Stenson had it under control as the ball went high

On the stroke of half-time, Lia powered an out-swinging free-kick into Durham’s box but their defence headed the ball clear to retain the lead at the break.

Vivienne Lia had some threatening moments.

Saints returned to the pitch looking for a response as the pace of the game increased, and Stenson made back-to-back saves with a punch and a low block early in the second half.

Araya Dennis showed her strength with a solo run past four Durham defenders, but her pass into Lia was intercepted by an outstretched toe as the referee failed to blow for a free-kick when the youngster finally hit the deck.

Durham then came close to doubling their lead with a fierce strike from range that hit the inside of the post and fizzed across the goal line.

Another low save was made by Stenson from a right-sided free-kick to push the ball away from danger, before Remi Allen introduced Mullett to try and add some more attacking impetus.

Molly Pike and the debutant Mullett created some attacking opportunities between them but Foster remained untested as the game approached the final stages.

Another ball then fell to the feet of Pike from substitute Aimee Palmer’s cross, but Foster swept up the ball at the far post.

Into eight minutes of added time, Palmer struck a low ball towards goal that landed wide of the post before Lia whipped a ball in for Dennis to meet with a free header that was agonisingly straight into Foster's arms.

The full-time whistle blew, and Saints were forced to return home from the North East with a second consecutive defeat in 2025.

Southampton: Stenson, Brown, Peake, Purfield (c), Wilson (Mullett 65), Collett, Peplow, Harbert (Palmer 72), Lia, Pike, Dennis.

Subs not used: Haaland, Bourne, Mott, Milne, Griffiths, Roberts.

Durham: R. Foster, Ayre, S. Wilson (c), Hepple, Lambert, Blake (Novak 76), Crosthwaite (Holmes 12), Salicki, Claypole (Johns 81), E. Wilson, M. Foster.

Subs not used: King, Saunders, Ryan-Doyle.

Goals: Lambert 14.

Yellow cards: Salicki 90+7.

Referee: Hannah Gardener

Attendance: TBC