By Patrick Lay

Southampton Women v Pompey Women – Saturday 22^nd March 2025

Fresh from our recent back-to-back Women’s Championship wins away to Sheffield United and against Sunderland at Fratton Park, Pompey Women made the short trip along the M27 for the much-anticipated derby at St. Mary’s to take on Southampton Women.

Both the reverse league fixture at Fratton Park in October and the Women’s League Cup group stage tie at Westleigh Park in November were afternoons to forget.  That said, if the 0-5 and 0-4 scorelines were pinned on the visiting St. Mary’s dressing room wall, that would be Jay Sadler’s team talk done.  Saints Women meanwhile were looking to bounce back from their narrow 2-1 defeat at league leaders Birmingham City Women and their first win in any competition ironically since our League Cup exit to them four months ago.

Setting off early from Birmingham on Saturday morning, me and my wife (Ajit) made a day of it in the Southampton area, starting off by meeting my mum (who travelled over from the blue side of Hampshire) to meet me and Ajit for a pub lunch at The Old Ship on Bridge Road in Lower Swanwick.

This fabulous grade ii listed 16^th century building has so much charisma and being situated next to Swanwick Marina on the River Hamble, unsurprisingly it is full of maritime history.  After enjoying our pub grub, it was time for a little stroll and photo by Swanwick Shore.

Then it was a short drive round to Bursledon railway station and a wander up to the Jolly Sailor pub for some superb elevated views.  Being a child of the 80s, when I think of the River Hamble, I’ll forever associate it with the TV programme Howard’s Way where it’s catchy theme tune connotes getting ready on a Sunday night to start school for the week.

After my mum made her way back from Bursledon, me and Ajit set off for some more sight-seeing in the historic part of Southampton as we parked up in Woolston to walk across the Itchen Bridge.  But not before me stumbling across my namesake’s church, made all the more ironic and fitting given its address.

For many of you who know the city (albeit may not necessarily admit to), the bridge has some superb panoramic views across the city and Southampton Water on either side.  Whilst I seldom leave my house without my coat until spring has truly sprung, pictured below, you’ll understand that sometimes for a few seconds there are exceptions.

Pictured on the right is the River Itchen estuary into Southampton Water with Ocean Village Marina on the right which is where he headed to next.

Opened in 1986, Ocean Village Marina replaced the redundant Princess Alexandra Dock (formerly used for cross channel ferries).  It was the first time I had properly looked around the marina for many years and as we walked along Canute Road, it looked noticeably different and more modern than I remembered. 

That is because unbeknown to me, the very 80s looking and somewhat ill-fated Canute’s Pavillion shopping centre had been demolished back in 2008 having never truly lived up to its promise.  It has subsequently been replaced by the more practical and contemporary looking dining, residential and office development called Admiral Quay.  Pictured below is the view overlooking the marina.

Like ourselves in Portsmouth, Southampton was heavily bombed in WW2, but thankfully there are still numerous fascinating old buildings by their nearby docks that survived.  On St. Lawrence Road is the distinctive grade ii listed former goods shed for the nearby Southampton Terminus railway station which served the docks and was in operation from 1840 until 1966.

Pictured below is Canute Road which is steeped in Victorian history as seen with this row of buildings from that era facing back towards Ocean Village Marina.

After walking in the opposite direction, there is further evidence of the former railway station by the docks.

On the corner with Terminus Terrace is the splendid grade ii listed South Western House.  Opened in 1872, this is once again used as a hotel (The Grand) along with luxury penthouses and apartments.  The old ballroom inside from its heyday was later used of course as the recording studio for BBC South Today for 30 years until the early 1990s.

Another grade ii listed building we stumbled upon just along from here on Platform Road is Admiralty House which was the former post and telegraph office for Southampton docks which opened around 1905.

As Platform Road becomes North Quay, key features of the old town walls came into sight as pictured below.  Top is God’s House Tower on the corner of Lower Canal Walk, below left is The Watergate Ruin on the corner of High Street and below right is the Remains Of C15 House, Later Corn Store on the corner of French Street.

Then as pictured below, just past the Red Funnel Ferries terminal to the Isle of Wight is the Royal Pier and its grade ii listed gatehouse which nowadays is an Indian restaurant.

The pier itself, pictured from Mayflower Park overlooking the River Test, has been disused and decaying since 1979, not helped of course by two fires in the 80s and 90s.  Earlier this month bold and exciting plans to rejuvenate this waterfront area of the city with facilities similar to its Ocean Village Marina neighbour have been approved.  I only hope that the pier is rebuilt in its current outline as too many have been lost in this country over the past 50 years.

As me and Ajit meandered our way through the city centre en route to the stadium, there was still time to take in a few more famous old buildings.  On Bugle Street and facing St. Michael’s Square is the Tudor House and Garden which dates back to the late 15^th century.

We then cut through the nearby Hamtun Street which I discovered was the city’s name during the Anglo Saxon times and included a mural of Southampton’s history on one of its walls.

Over on Castle Way (as the name would suggest) is the Castle Bailey Wall which is also part of the old town walls.

Then lastly, you can’t visit our neighbours’ city without seeing its most famous landmark, The Bargate on High Street.  This iconic mediaeval gateway into the old town goes way back to 1180.

By now there was no time to take in the main city centre and its post war shopping streets, but for those who know it, it looks extremely similar to Commercial Road in Portsmouth which suffered a similar fate in WW2.

After cutting through the St. Mary’s district itself and the Old Northam Road, there is a covered railway bridge for pedestrians to access the stadium.  Decked in photos of Saints legends from across the years, this was somewhat hard to look at as a Pompey fan.  There are those who have represented both clubs of course, but (as pictured below) if there was one person beyond any other who still bridges the rivalry and is loved by both sets of fans it is Alan Ball.

Pictured below is a collage of the features outside the stadium.  Behind the Northam Stand (their home end) is a fan zone with music playing from a marque to add to the match day experience, even if I did have to grin and bear the band playing their traditional club anthem just as we walked past.

Outside the main Itchen Stand are two key nods to Saints’ past.  There is a bar named after their former home where it was refreshing to also see some Pompey fans relaxing with a drink on its outdoor patio.  Then a statue of the most pivotal name in the club’s history, who spent 16 years as a player, then 18 years as a manager, Ted Bates.  During his time at the helm, he got Southampton promoted to the English top flight in 1966 for the very first time.

It was time now to head inside the stadium with the sun beginning to set on SO14.

Opened in 2001, St. Mary’s is a functional design typical of a number of other stadiums built around that time in the UK, which is the polar opposite to their former abode.  Who can forget The Dell’s truly unique triangular Milton Road End and its different versions over the years?

I visited The Dell twice, both times when Ipswich Town (where my Dad was from originally) played there in the 90s.  I stress that we sat with the visiting Town fans on both occasions.  My only previous visit to St. Mary’s was shortly after ‘Arry had swapped blue for red for a year when we lost 2-1 in the FA Cup 4^th Round to a controversial last-minute Peter Crouch penalty.

People often criticize new stadiums like St. Mary’s as identikit or characterless bowls which in a way I can understand, but if ever there was a club that was hemmed in and had to relocate it was Southampton and if anything, they are now slightly nearer to the city centre than their old ground.  Personally, I feel this is the only true difference between themselves and us.  But, meant in the least embittered possible way, if only there was a spare piece of land available in Portsmouth where we could construct a similar development.

Extra features have been added to St Mary’s in recent years, most notably this season safe standing rail seats have been installed in both the Northam Stand (which is now home only) and the corner between the Chapel and Kingsland stands where the away fans have been re-housed.

Then wrapping around the rear of the stands, there are now semi-transparent red and white striped panels which signpost the club colours.  A clever idea, although one would argue Sunderland might have the copyright for this from their old Roker End terrace at their former ground.

Pompey Women had a decent following of well over 200, but it was slightly exasperating that in order to get a ticket, you had to register an online account with SFC and download the Saints app to your mobile phone in order to gain entrance.  Although the intense rivalry has to be policed with fans providing their own data, I can’t see why all this couldn’t be done via the Pompey website.  If that was the case, I’m sure there would have been a far greater number making the 20-mile journey.

There were two very inspiring Pompey Women’s flags displayed at the front of our section with messages that are very relevant both to society and football, plus the growing impact of the Pompey women’s team.

As the players made their way out to a great reception from the Pompey fans in the Itchen Stand and the Southampton fans in the corner of the Northam and Itchen Stands – derby day on the South Coast had arrived!

Jay Sadler opted for the same side that defeated Sunderland Women with the exception being Emma Jones replacing Saints Women loanee Emma Thompson in attack.  The game started steadily and on 9 minutes Pompey Women had the first clear cut opportunity when after winning it in midfield, Ava Rowbotham played in Emma Jones who forced Saints Women’s keeper Fran Stenson to make a save.

Then in a classic counter attack, the hosts broke forward and Rachel Rowe slipped the ball through to Georgia Mullett who ran into the box before a great piece of defending by Annie Rolf preventing her from taking aim as keeper Hannah Poulter gathered the ball.

Both sides continued to attack in search of that all-important opener and just after the 20-minute mark, Sophie Quirk went on one of her typical exciting bursts down the wing before cutting back for Sophie Barker, but the captain was unable to get her shot on target. 

Minutes later Saints Women almost found the breakthrough when Mullett ran into space but placed her shot narrowly wide of Poulter’s near post.  Then Rowe tried her luck from long range but nothing to trouble Poulter who comfortably held it.

As the latter stages of the first half played out, Pompey Women came close when Megan Hornby’s shot from distance looped up on to the roof of the net.  Then from Barker’s corner, Riva Casley headed over the bar.

Dangerous again on the counter attack, Saints Women created the last opportunity of the half when Laila Harbert brought the ball out of defence to Chloe Peplow.  She then surged forward as her pass deflected to oncoming Molly Pike and Hornby slid in before the ball pinged back off Pike as Poulter grabbed it at the second attempt.

HT: Southampton Women 0-0 Pompey Women

Pompey Women resumed the stronger side and forced a succession of corners in the opening minutes after the break and from Hornby’s corner, Stenson punched the ball away as it bounced to Rolf, who was unable to get her shot through and blasted wide.

Then Pompey Women came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock on 57 minutes when after an exchange of short passes between Barker and Hornby by the touchline, Hornby cut into the box and unleashed a stinging drive that Stenson got fingertips to before it clipped off the crossbar to deny the striker of her fifth goal of the season.

The home side made the game’s first change when interim manager Marieanne Spacey-Cale made a double substitution with Vivienne Lia replacing Aimee Palmer and Megan Collett coming on for Millie Mott. 

Spurred on by these changes and their let off a few minutes earlier, Saints Women created chances and on 62 minutes, Rowe’s shot saw a double deflection fall to Harbert but could only loop the ball over the bar. 

Rowe continued to threaten our defence with Hannah Coan sliding in well to block her effort.  Then from the resulting corner, Rowe swivelled into the box before forcing Poulter to make a decent save.

Having survived this pressure from the home side, our hearts sank on 71 minutes when a through ball by Paige Peake fell to Mullett who slotted into the corner of the net.  But Mullett’s joy was short lived as the flag was raised for offside, to the relief of us travelling fans.

With 10 minutes to play and the game so delicately poised, both teams patiently chased that elusive opening goal with some menacing runs down the wing by Lia and her fellow substitute Araya Dennis, brought on for Rowe.  Then on 85 minutes, Pompey Women had another opportunity when Barker played Jones in and Stenson once again had to be alert to make a save at her near post. 

Jones was replaced shortly after as Sadler made his only substitution of the game with midfielder Scarlett Williams coming on for the closing minutes.

But our best opportunity to grab all three points arrived with just two minutes of normal time remaining when Casley played a great ball out of defence over to the wing which Hornby picked up and played in Quirk who got goal side of the defence, but the onrushing Stenson made a brilliant save to prevent our top scorer this season from grabbing what would have been a likely winner.

Then with three of the seven stoppage time minutes to play, Saints Women themselves will reflect on their moment to have won it.  From Jemma Purfield’s corner, the ball rebounded back to her as she lobbed it back in and after Poulter got her hand to it the ball dropped to Lia who (under pressure from Hornby back defending) was unable to keep her shot down.

Pompey Women still had to soak up some late tormenting runs into the box by Dennis but had done enough to earn a priceless derby point in our battle against the drop as our players and travelling contingent celebrated.

FT: Southampton Women 0-0 Pompey Women

Att: 5,666 (circa 250 Pompey fans)

So with just three league games to play, the draw moves us into 9^th place a point ahead of Blackburn Rovers Women (who have two games in hand over us) and three points clear of bottom side Sheffield United Women in that one relegation spot with The Blades having one game in hand over us. Southampton Women remain 8^th and need just one point now to be certain of survival.

As me and Ajit made our way back over the Itchen Bridge, I noticed with interest it’s Pompey blue LED lights.  Nice touch, a faux pas or because of navigation reasons?  Whatever the reason, I believe the Saints fans are hoping they will turn red next year to mark the 50th anniversary of Saints winning the FA Cup.  In which case I say keep them blue, after all their goalscoring hero that day at Wembley, Bobby Stokes was from Paulsgrove.

Next up on Sunday is the arduous 330-mile trip to Maiden Castle on Mother’s Day to take on 4^th placed Durham Women with The Wildcats still with an outside chance of the title and promotion.  PUPW PWPU.