Women's Report: London City Lionesses 1-0 Saints

Southampton FC Women returned to Barclays Women’s Championship action as they took on London City Lionesses at Princes Park in Dartford. Coming off the back of a hard-fought win against Durham, Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side were hoping to keep up momentum going into the international break.

Despite dominating possession in the first half, London City Lionesses were the side to break the deadlock through captain Lois Joel, shutting out Saints for the remainder of the opening 45.

A similarly dominant second half for Saints was not enough to find the equaliser, as London City Lionesses secured all three points at their Princes Park home.

Saints had a quick start, pinning City into their own half during the first five minutes, Rianna Dean providing a quick press at the top of the field.

The first corner of the game also went Saints’ way, and Paige Peake was unlucky not to head home at the back post after rising highest to meet Jemma Purfield's in-swinger.

Continuing the pressure, Lucia Kendall and Peake connected well from a loose ball, and Dean, off the back of her brace against Durham, blazed her shot over the bar in the sixth minute.

Shortly after, Kendall provided a fantastic ball to unleash Ella Morris down the right-hand side. Her ball across was a good one, but no Saints shirt could get a meaningful connection.

Despite the pressure in attack, Rosie Parnell was called into action defensively as Danielle Carter raced into the box in the 15th minute. Her sliding tackle was perfectly timed to deny the shot, and City couldn’t make anything of the subsequent corner.

Travelling support were on their feet in the 20th minute as Saints had the ball in the back of the net through Molly Pike. Dean took the initial shot which was blocked, with Pike poking home, only to see the linesman’s flag raised on the far side.

Not long after, Pike nearly had the ball in the net once again. A fantastic piece of individual skill saw her touch a dropping ball back into the air and hit a shot on the volley, only to be denied by the crossbar.

Pike goes close to finding the opener

Despite the pressure and opportunities in front of goal, it was the home side who secured the opener just before the 30-minute mark. Kendall was dispossessed in the Saints half and Lois Joel took a touch out from beneath her feet before sending a ball looping over Kayla Rendell.

Reacting well to going behind, Saints were still pushing in attack. Lexi Lloyd-Smith provided a sparkling individual effort in the 37th minute, taking on at least three players, before unleashing a shot just past the post.

London City Lionesses’ Manager Carolina Morace was shown a yellow card shortly afterwards for dissent as the referee lost some control of the feisty last five.

Going in 1-0 down at half time, there was work to be done in the second period.

Saints reacted well to going behind in the first half

Saints had a set-piece opportunity just a minute into the second half, as Molly Pike was tripped on the left-hand side. The ball was cleared away, but Lloyd-Smith was making a nuisance of herself in attack and won the corner.

Taken short, Pike provided a fantastic cross towards the back post, which bobbled around before ending up in the side netting; close once again for Saints.

London City Lionesses made their intentions clear in the 54th minute, as Moloney was carded for time wasting from the goal kick.

Saints were knocking on the door, and getting closer and closer to an equaliser, Rianna Dean coming closest with a header in the 58th minute.

Saints piled on the pressure in attack

However, City were still quick on the counter, and Danielle Carter forced Rendell into a diving save less than a minute later, Saints’ number one more than equal to the attempt.

Spacey-Cale made her first changes of the game just after the 60th minute, with Katie Wilkinson and Laura Rafferty replacing Rianna Dean and Chloe Peplow.

Saints once again had the ball in the back of the net shortly afterwards, as Pike headed onto an advancing Wilkinson. The number 9 took the ball around the keeper and slotted home, but the flag was up for offside.

The game was turning into a physical battle, and Rosie Parnell was carded in the 72nd minute for pulling back Carter as London City progressed forward.

It felt like it was not going to be Saints’ day as a goalmouth scramble saw the ball go everywhere but the back of the net from a corner in the 75th minute, but the red shirts continued to fight.

More changes saw Megan Wynne and Emily Kraft enter the battle in the dying stages as Saints searched for the elusive equaliser, Lloyd-Smith and Pike making way.

Enthusiastic shouts for handball were waved away by the referee in injury time, as Saints battered the Lionesses box.

Pushing high, Milly Mott went close to finding the equaliser shortly after, as a ricochet ball from Wilkinson was smashed just past the post by the defender.

Saints were unable to find the equaliser despite the five minutes additional time; A frustrating result in what was a strong performance for Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side.

London City Lionesses XI: Moloney, Neville, Mukandi, Broughton, Joel, Scofield, Satchell, Fitzgerald (Wilde, 61’), Carter, Culver, Boye-Hlorkah (Alexander, 41’)

Substitutes unused: Dolby, Fraser, Hillyerd, Tones.

Saints XI: Rendell, Mott, Parnell ©, Peake, Purfield, Kendall, Peplow (Rafferty, 62’), Morris, Pike (Kraft, 86’), Lloyd-Smith (Wynne, 81’), Dean (Wilkinson, 62’).

Substitutes unused: Howard, Milne, Rafferty, Griffiths, Pharoah, Thompson.

London City goals: Joel (29’).