Asato Miyagawa was the hero has her important goal at St Mary’s kept blues in the title race and also kept us in second place at one point during the games we were down to third place. Amy gave Hannah Silcock her first league start in a blues shirt.
FIRST HALF
Before the game we remembered Saints legend Lynda Hale who was a trailblazing figure in the women’s football at a local and national level, as she played and scored in the first ever official England Women’s fixture. At just 18 years of age, she started the historic game against Scotland at Ravenscraig Park in November 1972 and went on to score in a 3-2 victory for the Lionesses in Greenock . For Saints she won the Women’s FA Cup an incredible seven times. And we also we remembered 15-year-old Oxford United Academy Goalkeeper Amelia Aplin who sadly passed away in a game against Fulham . Are thoughts are with both families at this difficult time.
The first chance of the game came for the saints on the break Brazil pulled it back for Palmer whose shot was saved brilliantly from Adrianna Franch in the 4th minute.
In the 23rd the ball landed in the box for Wilma Liedhammar whose shot goes over the bar.
In the 28th minute a cross from Oceane Hurtre was deflected of a saints defender onto Lily Crosthwaite which former goalkeeper Fran Stenson made a brilliant saved.
In the 31st minute the saints almost took the lead from a corner from Tara Bourne was headed onto the bar from Mary Bashford.
The last chance of the first half came in the 45th minute when a Neve Herron volley went well wide of the post.
HALF TIME SOUTHAMPTON WOMEN 0-0 BLUES WOMEN
SECOND HALF
The first chance of the second half came for Blues when a Hopcroft shot went wide in the 49th minute.
A minute later Tara Bourne’s shot went over the bar.
Then in the 52nd minute a Veatriki Sarri shot was well saved from Stenson following the corner a header from Silcock went over the bar.
In the 56th minute the saints dispossessed Rebecca Holloway and it felled to Bashford whose shot went just wide of the post.
In the 71st minute a Wilma Liedhammar shot went over the bar.
In the 76th minute Blues finally took the lead when Veatriki Sarri turned brilliantly in her own half and drive into the saints half she played it into Batcheba Louis who couldn’t get her effort away it felled to Sarri her effort was cleared of the line by saints player Mary Bashford it came back to Asato Miyagawa who placed it past Bashford to give Blues the lead.
In the 78th minute substitute Lotta Lindstrom shot was easily saved by Stenson.
In the 84th minute Lindstrom plays it to Sarri whose shot is again saved by Stenson.
In the 88th minute Sarri shot is saved yet again by Stenson it rebounded to Louis but couldn’t control it.
In the 90th minute a goal mouth scramble was cleared away from the blues defence.
Blues defended really well until full time and got the three points.
FULL TIME SOUTHAMPTON WOMEN 0-1 BLUES WOMEN
MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME
Overall delighted with the win but the performance I was disappointed in yes it’s all about winning games at this point of the season but like I said in a lot of my blogs if we play with a quick tempo no one can handle us but if we play like today we will have games like the reverse fixture against the Saints Durham & Crystal Palace we need to find the right blend to get the right tempo in this team. On the positives it was great to see Asato Miyagawa getting on the scoresheet someone has always got a smile on her face and gives it are all and fully deserves that goal. The other positives are Veatriki Sarri & Lily Crosthwaite whose qualities shun through the game .
And other positive the fans that travel down there amazing backing for Amy & the girls.
MY PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Lily Crosthwaite I think she was are bright spark for us in otherwise a poor game.
UP NEXT
We back in action on Wednesday for are game in hand against Newcastle United and its a 19:00pm Kick Off.
STEPHEN GILL KRO
Credit all pictures to Laura Burton
Thank-you Steohen for your blog, especially your last comments with your insights of the game. Great photos from Laura Burton.