Newbury were clearly up for this game and were all over Southampton. Harkness from the left to Panting for Creese to shoot just wide. Minutes later right back Lorna Parr made a break the full length of the pitch and her cross was just picked up by the keeper in front of Burnett and Harkness. More attacks featured Burnett, Creese and Panting.

Next to join the action was midfielder Sam Atkins who drove straight through the middle of the defence only to see her shot saved by the keeper. In a rare Southampton break Naomi Purvis defended well and set up another Newbury attack.

Southampton’s first real opportunity came after 18 minutes when they won a corner. Creese made the 1st clearance but the ball came back and goalkeeper Laura Ainscough made a good save at the feet of the attacker which resulted in a knock to her head.

Newbury responded well to this and again Creese was influencial having the pace and strength to beat the left back. This time Panting’s shot was deflected for a corner. Newbury were really pressing again with attacks notably featuring Parr, Atkins and Creese. Parr then took a quick throw to Creese who was unmarked behind the static defender and her cross was met by Ruby Oliver inside the 6 yard box. Oliver somehow scrambled the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead after 29 minutes.

Creese continued to dominate down the right and had two more crosses cleared in as many minutes. The game drifted a bit and Southampton won a corner which resulted in a foul on Atkins. This woke up Newbury who finished the half strongly with lots of good attacking by Oliver, Burnett, Creese and Panting, but the shots were either wide or saved by the keeper.

The opening minutes of the second half were played mainly in the middle of the pitch. Harkness and Burnett had some neat interplay down the left. On 57 minutes Newbury made a straight substitution of Parfett for Burnett. Within seconds Parfett had won a corner for Newbury.

Southampton now had a rare opportunity. A break down the left resulted in Ainscough having to come off her line, again to save at the attacker’s feet and deflect the ball for a corner and again she was rewarded with a knock on the back of her head. Just as in the first half this seemed to wake Newbury up. Creese had a cross headed for a corner following good work by Parfett and Oliver. Creese’s corner fell on to Oliver’s head who was standing no more than a yard off the line and she headed in for a 3-0 lead after 67 minutes.

The remaining 20 minutes were more or less Newbury in control. Southampton did get in a couple of shots one of which was deflected for a corner but otherwise Newbury were attacking. Parfett and Panting both had shots saved by the keeper who was quite busy.

Match report by Jack Harkness