Flyers Ignore Siren's Call

This Sunday I was torn between two games. Larkspur Rovers v Farnham Town or Winchester City Flyers v Southampton Women's. A quick X poll ended all-square so I decided on the toss of a coin. Heads for Flyers, tails for Rovers. Heads it was. No doubt I will get to Larkspur and Farnham at some point this season but, for now, it was the A34 for me.
Of course, I've been to Hillier Way a number of times before and seen Flyers play there and away from home, but I've never seen Southampton Women's play, either at home or away. In my eyes The Sirens are women's football royalty. They've won the FA Cup on no fewer than 8 occasions. To put this in context with the men's games, that's the same number of cup wins as Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs. Admittedly, these were the early days of the competition but, nevertheless, Southampton dominated. They played in 10 of the first 11 finals, winning eight. Only Arsenal, with fourteen, have won more.
The current day Southampton team were coming into this game sitting second in the Premier League table, a point off leaders Wycombe but having played two more games than The Chairgirls. Flyers started the day in sixth spot, five points adrift of The Sirens but with two games in hand. They were also coming into the game on the back of a very narrow defeat to Wycombe last weekend. A game in which they led 2-0 before succumbing to a second-half fightback from Wanderers. Southampton were unbeaten in their last four league outings and yet to lose on their travels.

Whilst putting the notes together for this blog, it was very hard not to focus on the match officials rather than the game itself. I try not to criticise referees and assistants. It's a hard enough job to do and most of us would not put ourselves into that position. However, let's just say that the quality of the game yesterday was affected by the officials. Having said that, everyone has an off day, players, coaches, and officials. 

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Flyers had limited 1st half chances

​Southampton started the game in a lively fashion and seemed to have the upper hand in the opening minutes. However, it was Winchester who came the closest early one when Shayne Prasad's 5th minute cross-shot was came back off the Southampton crossbar. The ball fell to Chelsie Hay, who looked odds-on to score before seeing her shot deflected wide for a corner.
That effort aside, it was the visitors who were looking the more likely to open the scoring. Both Scarlett Kirby and Ashleigh Mills came close, the latter forcing a good save from Ellie Parker. Then on 10 minutes, only a superb, last-ditch tackle from Lydia Moulding prevented Kirby from getting a shot off from no more than 12 yards. 
Southampton kept pressing and, 15 minutes in, they got their reward. Izzy Crooks took aim from 25 yards out and sent a screamer into the top corner. Parker got fingertips to it, but nothing was keeping that one out. 0-1
The pattern of play continued for the next 10 minutes or so. Southampton looking more likely to increase their lead rather than concede an equaliser.
Winchester did begin to look a little more fluid after the half-hour mark however. Amy Smith replaced Annie Northwood, who had not got a lot of change out of a solid Sirens defence, with Chelsie Hay moving into the central striking position. This change helped the home side to generate a few more half-chances, but Etheridge was unduly worried until deep into added time when Charlie Snelling got on the end of a ball into the 6-yard area, only for her to plant her header within reach of the keeper, who held on well.

HT Winchester City Flyers 0 Southampton Women 1. A deserved lead for The Sirens at the break and an excellent strike to put them ahead. Flyers seemingly a little sluggish and that yard or two off the pace.

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Parker about to save Crooks' free-kick

​The second half looked like a different prospect straight away. Within three minutes the home side could, and probably should, have been back on level terms. Chelsie Hay controlled a cross well, creating herself a shooting chance inside the penalty area, but with the goal at her mercy, she struck the shot wide of the post. Just a few minutes later Hay turned provider, slipping the ball through to Kayleigh Tonks only for her shot to fly straight into the arms of Leah Etheridge.
Just after the hour, with the home side now well on top in terms of possession, Sian Wylie cut in from the right and launched an effort at goal, only for Etheridge to pull off an excellent save, throwing herself to her right and holding onto the ball.
The home side continued to knock at the door. Snelling headed a corner over the bar and Moulding came close, putting a header wide of the mark. Just when it was starting to look like 'one of those days' for Winchester, they got a break. A corner from the right was spilled by Etheridge and Lydia Moulding was there to nudge the ball over the line. A scrappy goal, but they all count. 1-1
The equaliser sparked a response from Southampton and, six minutes later, they came within a fingertip of re-taking the lead. It was goal scorer Izzy Crooks again, unleashing a free-kick that looked to be dipping over Parker, until the home stopper got that all important fingertip to the ball, sending it crashing against the bar and away to safety. A great save that proved to be something of a turning point. Two minutes later Southampton found themselves down to 10 when Ella Wright was sin-binned after being cautioned. There minutes on from that, Winchester took the lead for the first time through Chelsie Hay's piledriver. 2-1.
That knocked the stuffing out of Southampton. To their credit, they tried to respond, but a player light and time running out, they were really up against it. There was, however, plenty of added time to come. So much so that it was the 97th minute when Shayne Prasad unleashed another rocket to seal the three points. 3-1

FT Winchester City Flyers 3 Southampton Women 1. Two very well matched teams but Winchester's second half performance earned them the three points. They stay in fifth spot but close the gap on the teams above them, to the point that winning their games in hand on the three immediately above them, would have them clear in second spot. Southampton drop to third place after Beaconsfield beat Sholing 3-1 to leapfrog them.
Next weekend Winchester are at home again as they welcome Reading to town. The Royals have only played four league games so far and have only lost once, so they'll no doubt pose another tough test for Flyers.

Winchester City Flyers: Parker, Snelling, Moulding, Vokes, Whitlock(c), Tonks, Warhurst, Prasad, Wylie, Hay, Northwood. Subs: Powell-Rowland, Smith, Sayler, Chalk, Byway
Southampton Women: 1.Etheridge, 5.Mear(c), 6.Mills, 8.Davies, 9.Ball, 10.Wright, 11.Glover, 14.Kirby, 15.Crooks, 18.Lynn, 32.Tedman. Subs: 7.Soares, 16.Wilson, 17.Conti, 22.Coulter, 23.Thomas-Hardman

Ground Number: Re-Visit
Att:
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: N/A

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