THE Saints host the long-travelling Magpies at Saint Mary’s Stadium in a promotion hunting six-pointer. Follow our blog and social media for live updates of all the action on the South Coast.
Southampton currently trail 2-0 courtesy of a Jordan Knobbs brace, the first coming on just 14 seconds.
46′ – Newcastle get us underway for the second half. The Saints will finish this game shooting from right to left.
The Saints have struggled for form of late and were hoping to turn the corner after their result last time out. That wasn’t the case in that first half and they will need a much better showing if they are to get anything out of this game.
HALF TIME – Southampton 0-2 Newcastle, Jordan Knobbs (1′, 43′)
45′ – There will be three minutes of added time in the first half.
43′ – GOAL! With the seagulls still looming, it’s the Magpies who score again. An excellent interchange and one-two with Emily Murphy sets the ball back for Jordan Knobbs to place a delightful finish into the top right corner. 2-0 to the visitors and Southampton have a Geordie mountain to climb.
41′ – Seagulls have just descended on Saint Mary’s Stadium. Excrement is everywhere. If you are afraid of birds or fancy keeping your chips to yourself this is exactly where you don’t want to be.
39′ – The game has settled into a bit of a lul these last ten minutes with neither goalkeeper troubled. The Saints continue to look the more likely to score.
30′ – It was a delightful outswinging ball from Bourne who had Saints queuing up to meet it. Sadly, the coneection was to thirm and the header looped over the crossbar. Real chance for Southampton.
29′ – A high challenge from Jemma Purfield sees her enter the referee’s book and Southampton have a very threatening freekick on the right hand side.
24′ – Tara Bourne takes a heavy touch in a defensive position and it breaks to three Newcastle attackers. Their ateempt on goal was powerful but from a challenging angle; Fran Stenson is able to tip it wide of her right-hand post.
19′ – The ball breaks for Chloe Peplow o the edge of the area. But her shot loops up high and wide. The Saints certainly having the better of the game now though and look very threatening down both flanks.
14′ – excellent steal from Mary Bashford in midfielder who broke towards Newcastle’s defence. She unleashed a fierce left-footed effort from just outside the box which catipulted towards the top right corner, but Tamminen made up the ground to match again and tip the shot over the crossbar.
9′ – Atlanta Primus draws another save from Tamminen after fantastic work by Ellie Brazil on the right hand side to find her. The shot was dragged towards the far corner but without any true purchase and the goalkeeper handled it well.
6′ – An inviting Jess Simpson corner drops right under the crossbar, but Magpies’ keeper Anna Tamminen does brilliantly to pat it away. Southampton have upped the intensity here.
4′ – The shaky Saints kicked off the game shooting from left to right, attacking towards the corner where both sets of fans are in full voice.
1′ – GOAL! Well that wasn’t the start the Saints were hoping for. Jordan Knobbs is slid throgh on goal with a delicious through ball, she rounds the goalkeeper and slots calmly into the back of the net. 14 seconds gone and it’s 1-0 to Newcastle.
2:00 – KICKOFF!
13:55 – The teams are out and kickoff is just five minutes away!
13:28 – Ahead of kickoff today Southampton sit five points from third place, where as the visitors trail by six points – one behind the Saints – but vitally have an extra game in hand.
13:21 – Both teams are out and warming up now as the teams are announced to Saint Mary’s with great cheers and applause from the fans down to my right.
13:20 – And the visitors look like this:
An unchanged lineup for the Saints.
13:10 – Southampton’s team today: 22. Stenson, 5. Goddard, 6. Bourne, 7. Brazil, 8. Peplow, 10. Mcalonie, 14. Bashford, 19. Simpson, 20. Primus (c), 23. Collett, 66. Palmer
Substitutes: 2. Brown, 12. Edwards, 15. Hack, 17. Mcgowan, 26. Tucker, 27. Watts, 30. Pettit, 35. Roberts, 60. Archibald
13:05 – Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Southampton vs Newcastle in the WSL 2. I will keep you up to date on every moment from Saint Mary’s crucial tie. Team news will shortly follow.
