Women's Report: West Ham 3-0 Saints
Southampton FC Women bowed out of the Women's League Cup with defeat against Women's Super League side West Ham in Group C.
Remi Allen's side put in a valiant display with a heavily rotated side against their top-tier opponents, as they went into the break level at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Second half goals from Shelina Zadorsky and Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, and an unfortunate own goal, sealed the result as Saints had six Under-21s in the squad on an evening of milestones for the club.
Lucy Watson made her first Saints start, partnered by U21 forward Kaylee Buckingham on her first senior start three years after her first team debut, with Kayla Nohasiarisoa also starting for the first time.
Rachel Brown captained the side for the first time and there were a host of senior debuts; Esta Roberts started in midfield whilst fellow Under-21s Anya Lucas and Daisy Beard were introduced off the bench.
Rachel Brown captained the side. (Photos: West Ham)
Saints saw plenty of the ball in the opposition’s half in the opening stages, but West Ham came closest to the first shooting opportunity of the game before Benedicte Haaland was eventually fouled in her attempt to halt the attack.
A trio of corners were given to the Saints after Milly Mott’s ball forwards forced an unsure deflection away, but the third delivery fell short of the front post.
The Hammers quickly had an opportunity in front of Haaland’s goal with a deflection, but the ball bounced wide of the post as the WSL side turned the screw and gained momentum.
Some strong defending forced West Ham back after Shannon Cooke’s diagonal ball forwards, as West Ham pressed but Saints frequently denied their advances, including a goal-line clearance by Mott.
In the 39th minute, under the nose of the referee, a penalty was awarded to West Ham when Emma Harries was brought down unfairly in the box, but the scoreline remained goalless into the break as captain Brynjarsdóttir cleared the crossbar with a blazing strike.
Esta Roberts impressed on her senior debut.
The second half started with hasty phases of play from both sides; Li Mengwen broke through from a lay-off but Haaland was on guard to deny her from opening the scoring.
However, West Ham scrambled the ball over the line from a Camila Saez free-kick a few minutes later to take the lead that had felt like it would eventually materialise.
Haaland had made an excellent initial save but substitute Shelina Zadorsky made sure the ball went over the line on the rebound from close range.
A close chance came for Lucy Watson as the game entered the final 15 minutes, but it was nullified by the Hammers who pushed on to seal their victory.
An unfortunate deflection ricocheted off Paige Peake’s leg from Riko Ueki’s touch to double the lead with just over ten minutes to play.
Substitute Ueki found herself through on goal again shortly after, but Haaland pounced onto the ball just in time.
Saints' goalkeeper showed her quick reactions once more to make a crucial block with her chest before making another from West Ham’s resulting corner.
In stoppage time, the third goal put gloss on the scoreline for West Ham as Brynjarsdóttir had an opportunity to rectify her earlier penalty miss, and found herself in the right place at the right time to slot the ball into the net.
Saints ended the game with three more players earning their senior debuts and plenty of positives to take for the future as they bowed out of the competition with heads held high.
West Ham: M. Walsh, Smith (Zadorsky 46), Bergman-Lundin, Brynjarsdóttir, Harries (Ueki 61), Sáez, Cooke, Mengwen, Houssein (Siren 77), S. Walsh (Way 61), Piubel (Paví 46).
Subs not used: Szemik, Denton, Asseyi.
Goals: Zadorsky 60, Peake (OG) 76, Brynjarsdóttir 90+3.
Yellow Cards: Mengwen 30.
Saints: Haaland, Brown (c) (Collett 46), Bourne (Lucas 46), Peake, Mott, Griffiths, Nohasiarisoa (Palmer 68), Roberts, Buckingham (Pike 68), Watson (Beard 79), Thompson.
Subs not used: Stenson, Purfield, Bolton, Udebhulu.
Referee: Amy Fearn.
Attendance: TBC.
