Women's Report: Saints 0-2 Charlton

Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side had an equal grip on the game, until a quickfire double from Charlton's Bethan Roe and Katie Bradley broke the deadlock in the second half and sealed the result.

Welsh international Rachel Rowe was brought back into the starting line-up after a two-game absence with injury, whilst long-term absentee Rianna Dean made her return to the field as a second half substitute.

Elsewhere, youngster Natasha Udebhulu was handed her first senior appearance off the bench, having impressed with the Under-21s this season.

Southampton's final day line-up (Photo: Chris Moorhouse)

Saints started on the front foot to the echoing sounds of a boisterous St. Mary’s on the final day; an early Aimee Palmer corner was sent into the box, but captain Jemma Purfield’s header was wide at the back post.

Gidria Siber looked to be through on goal at the other end, but Tara Bourne got down quickly to block her shot.

After an extensive period of end-to-end play, Charlton's Jodie Hutton hit an effort from the left corner of the box which rebounded off the crossbar.

A quiet first half in terms of chances ended with a whipped Purfield free-kick that found Bourne’s head, but the ball deflected backwards in the final meaningful action before the break.

The second half started with more fire as Rowe picked up the ball a handful of times with driving forward runs, and caused a nuisance in the midfield - Palmer then shot with a powerful first-time strike, but Whitehouse covered her goal calmly.

Another burst of forwards play from Rowe and Georgia Mullett was then agonisingly quashed by the visitors, before the deadlock was eventually broken on the hour mark.

Rachel Rowe posed a threat in midfield.

Charlton found the back of the net first through Roe's impressive strike, as the defender curled the ball into the far side of the goal after she's burst forward to support the attack on the right, and cut into the penalty area with tidy footwork.

One quickly became two in the space of two minutes to effectively kill the contest off, as the Addicks doubled their lead when Bradley’s low, powerful shot found its way past Fran Stenson from the edge of the box.

Saints substitute Araya Dennis brought energy to the field after her introduction with an early strike that just went over in search of a response.

Still looking for a goal back, Mullett found herself in space on the right and fizzed a ball across the face of goal, but Kendall’s sliding reach was fractionally too late.

Milly Mott was next to deliver a ball into the box from the same side, as Kendall again came narrowly short of making contact.

From the resulting corner, Dennis rose highest at the back post but her header rebounded into the stands off the crossbar.

Despite a resolute final push from Saints, it's Charlton who will travel home with the three points to end the 2024/25 campaign.

Saints: Stenson, Mott, Bourne, Peake, Purfield (c), Harbert (Udebhulu 90+2), Kendall, Palmer (Peplow 61), Rowe (Dennis 61), Pike (Lia 84), Mullett (Dean 84).

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

Yellow Cards: Palmer 24,Harbert 27.

Charlton: Whitehouse, Newsham (Filis 78), N'Dow (Humphries 46), Pearse, Bradley, Hutton, Muya (Chime 90+2), Skeels (c), Siber (Bissell 84), Bashford, Roe (O'Rourke 84).

Subs not used: Gray, Brazil, Stables, Godden.

Goals: Roe 60, Bradley 62.

Referee: Cristiana Hattersley.

Attendance: 2188.