The Southampton side kicked off and had their first goal attempt inside three minutes. Fortunately the shot was just wide of Newbury’s goal. But this was an early signal of Southampton’s intent and they forced a number of early corners. However Newbury’s defence held firm in the opening period. After Leanne Saunders won the ball well for Newbury, she found forward Amy McNab in space, but her shot was straight at the visiting keeper.

The deadlock was broken in the 20th minute, when Newbury’s goalkeeper, Nicky Isted, was forced into a save, palming the ball up onto the bar. A Southampton striker was first to react, reaching the rebound in the six yard box and stabbing home to give her side a one nil lead. Newbury fell further behind just two minutes later, when a defensive header from a corner fell at the feet of a Southampton player and she converted for two nil.

Newbury then rallied, with Amie Barnard pressing high on the right and winning a corner. She stepped up to take the set piece herself, with Tracey Beales flicking on with her head at the near post. Ruby Oliver’s head met the flick on, but the Southampton keeper was equal to it and saved comfortably. Unfortunately for Newbury, Southampton went straight down the other end and scored a third goal just inside the half hour mark. Newbury refused to let their heads drop though and Barnard was again causing problems. This time, with the keeper well beaten, Barnard’s lobbed shot looked to be heading in, only for a Southampton defender to get back and clear off the goal-line.

As half time approached, Isted was being called into action far more often, with wave after wave of Southampton attacks. Isted produced one fine save, diving low to her right and palming one shot away. Southampton were well in control when the half time whistle blew, with a strong three nil lead.

Not long after the re-start, Newbury defender, Lisa Elboth was clattered off the ball just outside the penalty area. The offence went unseen by the Referee, but Elboth required several minutes of on-pitch treatment, before the decision was taken that she should be withdrawn, as she was badly shaken. Substitute Sam Atkins went into the defence for Newbury, but shortly after that re-shuffle, Newbury conceded a fourth goal.

The best opportunity for Newbury to get on the score sheet came in the 64th minute, when Beales produced an excellent cross-field pass to play in Barnard through the right channel. She cut into the Southampton penalty area and unleashed a low shot across the goalkeeper. The keeper needed to be at full stretch, diving low to her right and just reaching the ball to divert it just wide of the far post. Again Barnard was denied.

Just 5 minutes later and Southampton had added a fifth goal and then they swiftly converted a sixth goal within one minute of that. Newbury conceded a penalty on 75 minutes, which the Southampton captain duly dispatched and the visitors wrapped up the scoring six minutes from normal time, when a cross was deflected into the Newbury net by a defender. 8-0 to Southampton the final result.

Match report by Sue Hewett