Newbury kicked off the cup-tie and had the first effort on goal after just four minutes. Ellie Reed shooting for the top corner from 20 yards out, but the Southampton goalkeeper was able to make the save. The visiting side then began to take some control with a good passing game. They forced two early corners that Newbury’s defence handled well. Playing just Nicole Beesley as their solitary striker, Newbury began to look brighter when she was in possession. One of her darting runs resulted in a shooting opportunity for Newbury captain, Leanne Creese. She shot from a narrow angle, but the effort glanced just wide of the upright.

As the match developed, Southampton’s game plan looked to be to soak up any pressure from the home side, and then to attack quickly on the break. It was turning into an enthralling encounter for the spectators. The opening goal came in the 21st minute and went the way of the visitors, after a good through ball split the Newbury defence. With the striker bearing down on goal, she evaded the challenge of the last defender and clipped the ball over the top of Chloe Hunt in the Newbury goal to give her side a one nil lead.

Newbury refused to let their heads drop and whereas the Southampton players should really have taken charge of the tie from this point, Newbury hung in, dug deep and stayed in the game. As Newbury entered the last ten minutes of the half, they found a renewed belief in themselves and started again to put the Southampton back line and goalkeeper under real pressure. Midfielder Rachel Panting had two shots from distance that were just off target and as the half drew to a close, Newbury gained two corners, from which Lorna Parr had a close range effort scrambled away.

Then right on the stroke of half time, the Southampton keeper made a mistake with a poor goal kick. As the ball dropped to Rachel Panting in space 25 yards out, she took one touch to control it and then sent in a booming shot that gave the keeper no chance. Newbury were well worth the equaliser and the timing of the goal gave them a huge boost going into the interval with the scores level at one goal apiece.

With the match finely poised, the second half started with a spell of Southampton possession. This spelt disaster for Newbury, as just four minutes later the visitors had regained the lead. The goal was not without controversy however, as Newbury appealed for a handball in the build-up, which was not given, and then the flukiest lob from over 40 yards hung in the air and soared towards the Newbury goal. With Hunt only able to claw the fingertips of her right hand onto the ball, she couldn’t prevent it just dropping underneath the cross bar and into the net. It was tough on Newbury, as they had been performing well to get themselves back into the game and yet they now found themselves behind again as Southampton took a 2-1 lead.

But just as in the first half, Newbury’s players refused to let their opponents have things all their own way and they stuck to the task brilliantly, with Panting, Parr and Povey all working well together as a diligent and dogged midfield three. From the re-start, Newbury immediately forced two quick corners and once again began to ramp up the pressure. Not allowing Southampton to get the ball clear, Beesley won it back well on the left and she worked a superb cross into the penalty area. Southampton thought they had cleared the danger, but the ball only fell to Panting, who again placed her shot perfectly for both hers and Newbury’s second goals of the afternoon.

It was the second time Newbury had got themselves back level in the tie and with a 2-2 score line now, the visitors were visibly rattled. Newbury made their first substitution shortly after on 61 minutes, with Reed replaced by the fresh legs of Lily Chubb. The tie really was anyone’s for the taking and it was proving a tough contest. One Southampton attack resulted in a shot cannoning back off the post, but Newbury were able to get it away and clear to safety. The next raid forward for Newbury was created by Panting in the heart of midfield. She played a pinpoint pass to pick out Chubb on the shoulder of the last defender, but her first touch was just too heavy and the Southampton keeper was able to gather.

Newbury full back Sam Atkins was withdrawn on 75 minutes, with Leanne Saunders her direct replacement. As the game had ebbed and flowed, it was now the south coast side that were enjoying more of the possession as the match entered its final period, with the prospect of extra time looming. Newbury’s rear guard was breached however, as Southampton regained the lead for the third time in the tie. It was a real route one move that was Newbury’s undoing and with Hunt unable to close down the striker, she found a composed finish for 3-2.

Still Newbury’s players came forward, with Beesley in particular full of running and linking well with the every lively Chubb up front. After good pressure from Beesley, she cut into the box from wide on the left, only to see her cross flash across the face of goal from 5 yards. But with no Newbury player close enough to convert, the chance sadly went away.

With just four minutes and stoppage time left on the clock, Newbury made their third and final substitution, replacing Creese with Zoe Davie on the right wing. Unfortunately for Newbury, they could not find another equalising goal to force extra time and in the 89th minute from the final corner of the game, Southampton had a goal mouth scramble from which they were able to convert from close range. It was their fourth goal of the day and saw them run out 4-2 victors. But the Premier side knew they had been in a real cup battle and were mightily relieved to make it through to the next round.