Women's Report: Saints 1-2 Newcastle
Southampton FC Women fell to a narrow defeat against Newcastle United in the Barclays Women's Super League 2.
A first-half Jordan Nobbs brace saw Newcastle make the journey back home to the north east with all three points, as they scored after a remarkable 15 seconds before adding a second towards the end of the half.
Saints pressed for a way back into the game, and substitute Tegan McGowan scored her first goal for the club in the closing stages but it proved to be too little, too late.
Simon Parker's side came into the game unchanged after their impressive win a week prior, whilst Newcastle had five former Saints grace the St Mary's pitch across the game including a return for Ashanti Akpan, who switched to Newcastle on a permanent transfer in January.
Saints' starting line-up with Saints Foundation participants. (Photos: Chris Moorhouse)
Newcastle started with a very early lead as they pounced from kick-off, as Molly Pike won the ball and released Nobbs, who shifted the ball past Fran Stenson and finished low into the far corner after just 15 seconds.
Saints weren't deterred however, and Ellie Brazil ran forwards with the ball before playing into the feet of a free Atlanta Primus, whose shot was collected by Anna Tamminen.
Mary Bashford went to ground to take the ball away from Aoife Mannion, and then took a shot that forced Tamminen to concede a corner as the hunt for a quickfire equaliser continued.
Newcastle were on the attack again, and Freya Gregory looked to be through on goal but saw her strike denied by a strong Stenson save.
As Saints searched for an equaliser, Bashford was back on the edge of the box but her shot narrowly dragged wide of the post.
Towards the end of the first half, however, Nobbs returned to the scoresheet to punish Saints once more after a well-taken move that ended with a curling side-footed finish into the top corner to double Newcastle's lead.
After the break with a deficit to overturn, Michaela McAlonie had a chance to test Tamminen that was dealt with calmly.
Bashford, who was everywhere for Saints in midfield, found herself in front of goal again but her first-time attempt was wide after she connected with a Jess Simpson cross.
Despite plenty of attacking chances in the second half, Saints weren't able to break through Newcastle's tight defence until the final moments of the game; Ellie Brazil came closest when the ball dropped to her in the box but she hooked her chance over the bar.
Substitute Tegan McGowan reduced the deficit in the 88th minute with her first Saints goal, as she darted down the right wing and poked the ball underneath the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
That goal gave Saints an extra boost for the six minutes of stoppage time that followed, but it was ultimately too little, too late as the game ended in defeat.
Saints: Stenson, Simpson, Goddard, Bourne, Collett, Peplow, Bashford, Palmer, Brazil, Primus (c) (Edwards 86'), McAlonie (McGowan 68').
Subs not used: Pettit, Brown, Mott, Hack, Watts, Roberts, Tucker, Archibald.
Goals: McGowan (88').
Newcastle: Tamminen, Wardlaw, Nobbs (Stokes 86'), Purfield, Pike (Akpan 77'), Gregory, Torpey, Sevenius (Lumsden 58'), Joel, Mannion (c), Murphy.
Subs not used: Moan, Stokes, Hayles, Larsson.
Goals: Nobbs (1', 43').
Yellow cards: Purfield (29').
Attendance: 3,935.
