Women's Report: Sunderland 0-0 Saints
Southampton FC Women were held to a second successive goalless draw, but maintained their unbeaten start to the Barclays Women's Super League 2 campaign.
In a battling test against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, there was no breakthrough to be found for either side.
Simon Parker's team remained unchanged for the third straight game, as the well-drilled starting line-up looked to continue their solid start to the season.
The five summer transfers between both clubs all started, as Grace Moloney and Libbi McInnes remained in the Saints side with Fran Stenson, Tara Bourne, and Atlanta Primus all starting for Sunderland.
Saints' starters at the Stadium of Light. (Photos: Getty Images)
In a tightly contested battle between two of the league's unbeaten sides, the game took some time to get going with clear-cut chances at a premium at the Stadium of Light.
Saints' first moment of note came in the 10th minute, when an Ellie Brazil cross was just out of reach of Freya Jupp's leap in the six-yard box, before the hosts had their first sight on goal through a Katie Kitching free-kick that dropped wide of the post.
A better foray forward from Sunderland's point of view came just before the half hour when Katy Watson wriggled free on the right wing and charged the length of the half to the byline, but her cutback cross was gathered confidently by Grace Moloney.
At the other end, Saints were proving to be a corner threat as they came close with two consecutive set pieces; a powerful strike from Jupp during the first corner forced a low save from Stenson, as the resulting delivery was flicked behind by Bourne against her own side netting.
Right before the break, Kitching forced her former teammate Moloney into her first real save of the afternoon with a powerful shot from distance that bounced awkwardly but was gathered at the second attempt by Saints' shot-stopper to ensure the scores stayed level at half-time.
The contest continued in the same fashion into the second half, as Saints were in control for large spells albeit with few chances to shout about.
Jupp's final action of her battling performance came shortly before the hour mark when she was played in behind the defence by Megan Collett's lofted pass, but the eventual shot was saved by Stenson from an increasingly tight angle.
Freya Jupp battled hard all afternoon.
Emma Harries was introduced for the final 30 minutes as Saints tried to convert their dominance into goals, but it was Sunderland who rallied next and created a spell of pressure of their own as vital defending from Collett and Goddard kept the hosts at bay.
Saints' captain had her first sight of goal in the 75th minute that forced Stenson into a flying save to keep out the powerful drive from the right corner of the box.
With the game becoming increasingly end-to-end as the minutes ticked down, Sunderland were next to threaten when Watson's cross fizzed into the penalty area but was just behind Elise Hughes in the area.
Inside six minutes of stoppage time, Saints had a penalty appeal waved away after Maria Edwards' powerful strike was palmed away by Stenson and Harries appeared to be bundled over stretching for the rebound, but nothing was given by the referee.
That proved to be the final action of the game as there was no breakthrough to be found for either side, as Saints take a point back to Hampshire and preserve their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Sunderland: Stenson, Laplacette (Corbyn 67'), Bourne, Roberts (c) (Paxton 89'), Brown, Primus (Sheva 89'), Missipo, Kitching (Fenton 76'), Watson, Franssi (Scarr 67'), Hughes.
Subs not used: Schumacher, Cassap, Westrup, Parker.
Yellow cards: Laplacette (19').
Saints: Moloney, Collett (c), Goddard, Mott, Brown (Archibald 86'), Peplow (Rae 78'), Bashford, McInnes, Ferguson (Edwards 86'), Brazil (Murphy 78'), Jupp (Harries 63').
Subs not used: Philps, Hack, Tucker.
Yellow cards: McInnes (15').
Attendance: TBC.
