Women's Report: Saints 1-2 Bristol City (AET)
After battling through extra time, Southampton FC Women exit the Adobe Women's FA Cup at the hands of league rivals Bristol City.
In the fourth Adobe Women's FA Cup meeting between the two sides in the past five years, it was the Robins who progressed into the fifth round courtesy of an Emily Syme brace.
Michaela McAlonie's first-half finish kept Saints in the lead for most of the match, until Bristol City substitute Syme equalised to take the game to extra time.
In the second half of extra time, Syme was on target again to take the score to 2-1 and force Saints to exit the competition.
Saints' FA Cup fourth round starters. (Photos: Chris Moorhouse)
Saints started the match strongly, with break-out attacks being driven by Jess Simpson and Megan Collett, with vital blocks being made by Milly Mott.
Another promising attack came from the half-way line after Michaela McAlonie battled to win back possession, and pressurized Bristol's defence.
Much of the first-half battle sat in the midfield with strong duels between the sides, but Fran Stenson was called to make the first crucial save of the game to deny a close-range effort from Mari Ward.
The deadlock was eventually broken as McAlonie took the ball away from Bristol, and lobbed Fran Bentley to send the ball into the far bottom corner.
After seven minutes of additional time, Saints entered the half-time break with the upper hand.
Michaela McAlonie celebrates the opening goal.
The visitors returned to the pitch with greater purpose as they fought for an equaliser, which saw Stenson having to make a reaching save to keep Saints' advantage.
Esther Morgan then had a threatening opportunity, but her far-out strike towards goal dragged narrowly wide.
Saints quickly countered as Ellie Brazil powered forwards into Bristol City's box, but her final pass was intercepted and cleared.
After an extensive period of resilient battling, Marine Dafeur found space to release a shot, but it dipped just behind the crossbar.
Soon after however, the Robins drew the game back level as substitute Syme fired a ball across the face of goal and into the net.
In the dying minutes of regular time, the ball fell to the feet of Maria Edwards on the edge of the box, but her cross was caught by Bentley.
Then, the final attacking opportunity of normal time fell Jessie Gale as she sprinted towards Stenson with the ball, but her shot skewed wide which meant the game continued into extra time.
The intensity didn't dip however, and Stenson was required to stretch high to push the ball away and over the crossbar after Rio Hardy's headed attempt.
Bristol City had another close chance through Camila Saez, but her free-kick on the edge of the box proved to be no danger to the scoreline.
In the second half of extra time however, Syme returned to the scoresheet with a finish that snuck its way through a crowd into the net to give the visitors their first lead of the afternoon with mere minutes to play.
Saints fans were quickly on their feet however, as substitute Abbie Ferguson sprinted against the run of play to take on Bentley, forcing the goalkeeper to make a vital save and secure her side's passage into the fifth round of the Adobe Women's FA Cup.
Saints: Stenson, Collett (Watts 91'), Goddard (c), Mott (Hack 106'), Bourne, Simpson, Peplow (McGowan 85'), Bashford, Palmer (Primus 68'), Brazil (Ferguson 90+5'), McAlonie (Edwards 90+5').
Subs not used: Pettit, Brown, Tucker.
Goals: McAlonie (42').
Yellow cards: Goddard (90+1').
Bristol: Bentley, Robinson (Farrugia 75'), Morgan, Bennett, Struck (Saez 89'), Ward, Ingle (Gale 68'), Dafeur (Meena 91'), Losada (c) (Syme 46'), Jones (Lloyd-Smith 46'), Hardy.
Subs not used: Mutch, Powell, Lawley.
Goals: Syme (79', 117').
Yellow cards: Robinson (45+5'), Gale (81').
Attendance: TBC.
