Women’s Under-19s earn point before shootout defeat to Saints

Our Women’s Under-19s battled out a 3-3 draw with Southampton on Wednesday afternoon in the Professional Game Academy League before losing the subsequent penalty shootout 4-2.

It was a hard-fought performance from our young side at Hotspur Way as we took an early lead through Grace Bellwood – her first goal at Under-19s level – but the Saints turned the game on its head before the break thanks to goals from Lucy Champs and Natasha Udebhulu.

We responded well after the restart as an another sensational free-kick from Grace Breen - having also curled home a dead-ball against Charlton Athletic last week - brought us back on terms eight minutes into the second period. Nife Aramide netted her first goal in the PGA to reinstate our lead with nine minutes left on the clock but, once again, the visitors fought back with Poppy Walton drilling home from the edge of the box to send the game to 3-3 and earn us a point in the league.

However, Southampton took home the bonus point in the contest after winning the penalty shootout in Enfield as they converted each of their spot-kicks to edge it 4-2.

We got off to the perfect start as we took the lead within three minutes of the contest in Enfield after a well-worked goal was converted by Bellwood on her first start of the season. Lucy Barraclough played a lovely pass into Jhanaie Pierre on the left, she then picked out the forward centrally inside the box who switched the ball onto her right-foot before slotting into the bottom corner. The visitors responded well to the early setback, but they were reduced to long-range efforts from Sofia Dix Trujillo which were routine for goalkeeper Sophie Jackson.

However, on 22 minutes, Southampton grabbed the equaliser following a quick turnover in possession and Chads fired into the top right corner from just inside the box to level the contest. Jackson then had to produce a brilliant save with her feet to deny Jasmine Lampard one-on-one while, at the other end, Kayleigh Proyt was called into to action to tip Ruby Gaitely’s effort from the edge of the box around the post.

But, five minutes before the break, Southampton took the lead following an excellent run down the left from Udebhulu before lifting the ball over the on-rushing Jackson to give them the advantage at the break. We needed a moment of magic early into the second period and that was delivered by Breen eight minutes after the restart as, from around 30 yards out, she curled home her a fantastic free-kick into the top left to level the scores at 2-2.

Pierre sent a header over and Gaitely curled wide as we pushed to take control of the proceedings once again and, nine minutes from time, we eventually found the breakthrough as an inch-perfect cross from Mia Endacott on the far left was guided into the bottom corner with a deft touch from substitute Aramide. Minutes later, we thought we further extended our advantage when Blue Bartlett-Antwi headed home from a free-kick but it was ruled out for offside as, at the other end, Southampton found an equaliser with five minutes remaining as Walton picked out the bottom corner with a powerful strike, resulting in a 3-3 draw as a penalty shootout followed.

Gaitely stepped up first, but her spot-kick was tipped on to the post to give Southampton an early advantage in the shootout as they converted their first two. Eloise Summers-Mee’s effort then struck the woodwork to put the Saints further in control and their captain, Anya Lucas, calmly converted the winning spot-kick to earn her side an extra point.

"I’m proud of how we came out to fight second half but, overall, we know we should’ve managed the game better"

Reflecting on the game, Head Coach Sabiha Jamal said: "We’re disappointed with the final outcome, but showed plenty of positives from the performance across the 90 minutes. We showed fight and resilience to come back from 2-1 down at half-time to put ourselves in a winning position at 3-2, but we’re frustrated with the way we concede the equaliser late on in the game. It was a learning moment from potentially going 4-2 up, to see that goal be disallowed to then face a lapse of concentration to concede immediately after. We knew we had to be better than we were in the first half and I’m proud of how we came out to fight second half but, overall, we know we should’ve managed the game better to secure the three points."

Penalty shootout

Spurs - Gaitely - missed

Southampton - Walton - scored

Spurs - Oukriss - scored

Southampton - Archibald - scored

Spurs - Summers-Mee - missed

Southampton - Howard-McDonald - scored

Spurs - Endacott - scored

Southampton - Lucas - scored

Match data

Goals: Spurs - Bellwood 3, Breen 53, Aramide 81; Southampton - Chads 22, Udebhulu 40, Walton 85.

Yellow cards: Spurs - Barraclough 16, Gaitely 38.

Referee: Ryan Hetherington.

Venue: Hotspur Way.