Town bowed out of the Women's National League Cup in the determining round for a second successive season after falling to a dismal 6-0 defeat at the hands of Southampton FC Women at Testwood Stadium on Sunday.
Alisha Ware netted a hat-trick, with Sophia Pharaoh, Ella Pusey and Phoebe Williams also on target on a very poor day at the office for the travelling Blues.
Town boss Joe Sheehan made eight changes to his side from last week's draw with AFC Wimbledon after stating his intent to give an opportunity to several players who didn't feature last week.
After initially starting well, Town went behind with a quarter of an hour on the clock. Pusey was tucked in behind Aimee Stretch and calmly finished across Danni Clarke to put the Saints ahead. Southampton soon took control of the game and doubled their advantage soon after as Pharaoh found the far corner directly through a dangerous cross from the right-hand side. Five minutes later the Saints had a third as the influential winger Pharoah found Ware in the area and she obliged by opening her account for the afternoon.
Five minutes from the break the nightmare half was capped off as Ware netted the second of her three goals. Pharaoh initially hit the post after after a cut-back from the right and Pusey was on was on hand to tee up Ware to bury the rebound past the helpless Clarke.
The Blues made a double change at half-time as Amy-Leigh Abrehart and Lucy Egan were introduced in place of Zoe Cossey and Chloe Dunn. Despite Egan helping to solidify a frequently breached defence, Town soon conceded a fifth. Georgie Freeland delivered for the arriving Ware and she rounded off an excellent afternoon by sealing her hat-trick as she toed past the stranded Clarke. The rout was finally complete in the 65th minute when England youth international Phoebe Williams unleashed a thunderous volley into the top corner from just outside the area.
Town's only clearcut chance of the match came three minutes from time as Ellie Rossiter broke through under pressure but her tame effort was held by the largely untested Saints goalkeeper Kayla Rendell.
After elimination from the WNL Cup, the Tractor Girls will now be entered into the Women's National League Plate.
The Blues will look to bounce back to form in their next league game away to Kent Football United on Sunday.
Town: Clarke (GK), Rossiter, Dunn (Egan), Stretch (c), Pannifer, Lafayette, Flatt, King, Welton, Cossey (Abrehart), Thomas.
Photo Credit - Matt Watson (Southampton FC)
Town boss Joe Sheehan made eight changes to his side from last week's draw with AFC Wimbledon after stating his intent to give an opportunity to several players who didn't feature last week.
After initially starting well, Town went behind with a quarter of an hour on the clock. Pusey was tucked in behind Aimee Stretch and calmly finished across Danni Clarke to put the Saints ahead. Southampton soon took control of the game and doubled their advantage soon after as Pharaoh found the far corner directly through a dangerous cross from the right-hand side. Five minutes later the Saints had a third as the influential winger Pharoah found Ware in the area and she obliged by opening her account for the afternoon.
Five minutes from the break the nightmare half was capped off as Ware netted the second of her three goals. Pharaoh initially hit the post after after a cut-back from the right and Pusey was on was on hand to tee up Ware to bury the rebound past the helpless Clarke.
The Blues made a double change at half-time as Amy-Leigh Abrehart and Lucy Egan were introduced in place of Zoe Cossey and Chloe Dunn. Despite Egan helping to solidify a frequently breached defence, Town soon conceded a fifth. Georgie Freeland delivered for the arriving Ware and she rounded off an excellent afternoon by sealing her hat-trick as she toed past the stranded Clarke. The rout was finally complete in the 65th minute when England youth international Phoebe Williams unleashed a thunderous volley into the top corner from just outside the area.
Town's only clearcut chance of the match came three minutes from time as Ellie Rossiter broke through under pressure but her tame effort was held by the largely untested Saints goalkeeper Kayla Rendell.
After elimination from the WNL Cup, the Tractor Girls will now be entered into the Women's National League Plate.
The Blues will look to bounce back to form in their next league game away to Kent Football United on Sunday.
Town: Clarke (GK), Rossiter, Dunn (Egan), Stretch (c), Pannifer, Lafayette, Flatt, King, Welton, Cossey (Abrehart), Thomas.
Photo Credit - Matt Watson (Southampton FC)
