SOUTHAMPTON Women’s FC Reserves will travel to Verwood to play AFC Bournemouth Development on Sunday.
The Sirens have faced the Cherries twice already this season, in the league and SDFA Cup last Thursday.
The two teams are long-time foes, and were both promoted to the FA Women’s National Reserves League from Southern Region Division I (Tier 6) in 2022.
In their last five meetings, Southampton have scored nine, but Bournemouth have scored over double with nineteen.
Their first meeting this season saw Bournemouth put four goals past Southampton keeper Leah Etheridge, with Hannah Francis getting a brace.
They recently faced off again in the SDFA Cup on a rainy Thursday night.
Test Park was brimming with spectators from both sides, and mixed with the magic of under-the-lights fixtures, a perfect atmosphere was concocted.
Southampton had the upper hand in the first half, and were first on the score sheet with a superb Manisha Kaur free-kick.
The game was a fierce end-to-end match, with Francis equalising just before the half-time break.
Sirens manager, Nathan Baker, made a quadruple set of substitutions before the second half, which saw Katelyn Wort coming on to face her former team.
Southampton upped the intensity, with two yellow cards being shown to Lou Forder and Lucy Wilson for bringing Bournemouth’s attackers to ground.
Etheridge later received a straight red card seconds before the final whistle for a last-man tackle in Bournemouth’s half.
Southampton will take to the field this weekend without their starting goalkeeper while she serves her suspension.
AFC Bournemouth Development vs Southampton Women’s FC Reserves | Verwood Town FC | Sunday, 22nd October 2023 |1400 KO
Photo: El Reid Media
