Edward Payne

London City Lionesses and Southampton drew 1-1 at Princes Park on Sunday.  Going into the match, the hosts were top of the Women’s Championship and the Saints were third.  The visitors have made a great start to their first season in the second tier but they went behind during the second half.  Paige Peake equalised for Southampton from the penalty spot in the final minute of the match.

London City Lionesses had the first chance of the match when Lilly Agg’s header from a corner bounced close to goal in the 5th minute.  Four minutes later, Karin Muya, Atlanta Primus and Agg all had efforts saved or blocked before there was a shot wide from Amy Rodgers.

The visitors first opportunities came from Katie Wilkinson whose effort for from out wide went into the goalkeepers hands in the 10th minute, then three minutes later she got a touch onto a cross which was saved.

Primus shot from 25 yards for the home side went wide in the 20th minute.  Southampton’s defence was playing well with captain Rosanna Parnell making some good interceptions to stop attacks, and in the 27th minute they stopped Muya getting a shot at goal.

Jamie-Lee Napier’s low shot was saved low down by Kayla Rendell in the 29th minute. A minute later, at the other end, Ella Morris was played through but Shae Yanez made herself big to block the effort.

London City Lionesses had the remaining chances before the break with Rodgers having a shot blocked by a defender in the 31st minute.  Rendell saved an effort from Primus three minutes later.  In the final minute of the half, Primus couldn’t get clean contact on a cross before Rodgers shot over.

The home side had the first opportunity of the second half in the 47th minute when Muya’s header pushed away by Rendell.  Rendell made another save two minutes later when she kept out Primus’ low shot.  London City Lionesses had another chance a couple of minutes later but Muya saw her header hit a defender and go behind. 

The Lionesses next chance came in the 61st minute when Rodgers shot from 20 yards was caught by Rendell.  Beth Lumsden had the visitors first chance of the second half in the 68th minute but she shot wide.

London City Lionesses took the lead in the 72nd minute when Ewens, who had just come on as a substitute, got onto a free kick and sent an effort towards goal with the final touch maybe coming off Southampton’s Alice Griffiths.

Southampton went looking for an equaliser, and in the 85th minute, Lucia Kendall’s shot was deflected behind.

Southampton were awarded a penalty late in the match after Yanez was adjudged to have brought down Pusey in the area.  Peake stepped up and sent the spot kick into the corner of the net.

Deep into the eight minutes of stoppage time, the home side had the final chance of the match when the ball was headed across goal from a free kick but Muya just couldn’t get enough on it at the far post and the ball went wide.

This point and other results mean that London City Lionesses remain of the league.  Southampton drop a place to fourth but it is very close though with two points separating the top four at the moment.  The Championship now has a break until January but both sides have FA and Conti Cup matches before Christmas. 

Line ups

London City Lionesses (3-4-3): Yanez, Bennett (c), Girasoli, Nolan, Neville (Joel 66’), Rodgers, Agg (Hopcroft 66’), Fitzgerald, Muya, Primus, Napier (Ewens 71’)

Unused substitutes: Cull, Pedersen, Shepherd, Heuchan, Kitching

Goal – Ewens 72’

Booked – Nolan 89’

Southampton (4-4-2): Rendell, Mott, Peake, Parnell (c), Collett, Morris, Rutherford, Griffiths (Wynne 79’), Lumsden, Kendall, Wilkinson (Pusey 67’)

Unused substitutes: Harris, Williams

Goal – Peake 90’ (pen)

Booked – Pusey 76’, Wynne 90’+6

Referee – Steven Hughes