HELLO and welcome along to live blog coverage of Saints Women against Nottingham Forest. Southampton will be looking to break into the top two of the WSL 2, whilst a win for Forest would see them leapfrog their south-coast opponents.
FINAL SCORE: Southampton 2-3 Nottingham Forest.
95′ – FULL TIME. Southampton are involved in another goal-filled thriller but this time lose out 3-2 to Nottingham Forest. Wellings will travel back to the Trent after playing just twelve minutes and scoring twice in a heroic performance.
90′ – Bashford is replaced by Akpan. The fourth official raises the board for four minutes of added time.
88′ – 2,293 is the attendance figure today at St Mary’s.
86′ – WELLINGS SCORES AGAIN! An unbelievable substitution has paid off as an almost identical finish flies across the keeper and into the bottom corner. Three minutes ago Southampton had the lead, now they trail 2-3 with just three minutes of normal time to go.
84′ – GOAL! Immediate impact for Charlie Wellings who slides past Stenson and equalises for the visitors. 2-2!
83′ – Wellings and Hamilton are also on for Forest.
82′ – Mott, Watts and Edwards enter the game for Southampton. Brazil, Simpson and Ferguson are replaced.
71′ – GOAL! It’s Southampton’s Jess Simpson whose header loops into the goal’s postage stamp following a corner. Set pieces pay dividends again and it’s Southampton 2-1 Nottingham Forest.
67′ – First sub for the Saints as Primus is replaced by Aimee Palmer.
65′ – No chance of Brighton being here today but seagulls are swarming the St Mary’s pitch as we speak.
58′ – HUGE CHANCE! Garcia almost gets her second but a brilliant strike is charged down and blocked. It’s her last action of the game as she is replaced by Rachel Rowe.
49′ – Tara Bourne’s free kick drops tantalisingly into the path of Brazil but she couldn’t get the decisive touch. It bounces behind for a goal kick.
46′ – We’re back underway. Nottingham Forest kicking off quickly.
HALF TIME – Southampton 1-1 Nottingham Forest. A largely quiet first half where both teams have almost exclusively threatened from set pieces. The final one of the half a beauty. It’s like watching Arsenal vs Arsenal!
45+1′ – EQUALISER! Right on the brink of half time a clever Mary Bashford flick capitalised on a beautiful low inswinging delivery from a free kick. After a quiet first half what a five minutes: 1-1!
44′ – OFF THE WOODWORK! Chloe Mustaki’s corner drops short and clips the near post. A real nervy five minutes for Stenson.
41′ – GOAL! It’s the Nottingham Forest fans singing as Stenson spills the ball just a couple yards off of her goal line. Nahikari Garcia was there to follow in and it’s Southampton 0-1 Nottingham Forest.
28′ – Georgia Brougham forces Fran Stenson’s first save of the game. It was a tame but well placed effort from 30-yards. In truth, Stenson was troubled more by the sun than the strike.
13′ – GOOD SAVE. It’s Southampton again causing the problems. This time it’s Ellie Brazil who cut inside before trying to drag it back to the near corner. Batty was tested but managed to hold on to the ball.
4′ – CROSSBAR! Atlanta Primus makes some room for herself on the edge of the area before whipping a wicked strike towards goal, but it clatters off of the top of the crossbar and Forest survive their early scare.
3′ – Jess Simpson’s wide free kick from the left hand side loops up and onto the roof of the Nottingham Forest net. Batty was scrambling for a moment.
1′ – KICKOFF. The Saints get us underway shooting from right to left and into the glaring sun.
13:55 – The teams are making their way out onto the St Mary’s pitch to a roar of approval from the Saints’ fans. Kickoff to follow after the Last Post as we commemorate the nation’s fallen soldiers.
13:30 – Nottingham Forest’s team: Batty, Stapleton, Mustaki, Rodgers, Claypole, Hed, Green (c), Thomas, Garcia, Smith, Boye-Hlorkah
Subs: Ferguson, Johnson, Lia, Amqvist, Rowe, Wellings, Olding, Hamilton, Howe
https://x.com/NFFCWomen/status/1984968738719056040
13:25 – Here’s how the Saints lineup: Stenson, Collett, Godard, Bourne, Simpson, Peplow, Bashford, Primus (c), Ferguson, Brazil, McAlonie
Subs: Pratt, Mott, Hack, Akpan, Roberts, Watts, Palmer, Edwards
https://twitter.com/SaintsFCWomen/status/1984968915663884524
13:20 – Both sets of players are out and underway with their warm ups. Team news will follow shortly.
