Southampton FC Women victorious with early goal against Sheffield United

Katie Wilkinson’s early goal was enough for Southampton FC Women to secure a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United, lifting them to third place in the Championship table.

Wilkinson found the back of the net in the 11th minute, skillfully finishing Sophia Pharoah’s cross to give Saints the perfect start at Bramall Lane.

The remaining match saw solid defensive play from the visitors, limiting the Blades’ attacking opportunities.

Currently, Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side sits just two points behind league leaders Charlton Athletic, making the promotion race an intriguing one.

For this game, Kayla Rendell, Milly Mott, Atlanta Primus, and Wilkinson were included in the starting lineup, following a 3-0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur in the Continental Cup.

Saints began the match strongly, with an early disallowed goal by Wilkinson assisting Lucia Kendall. However, their perseverance paid off as Wilkinson calmly converted Pharoah’s pass to secure the lead.

The forward continued to pose a threat, narrowly missing an opportunity to double the advantage with her curling effort. Meanwhile, Sheffield United struggled to create significant chances in the first half, except for a close attempt by Isobel Goodwin just before the break.

In the second half, Wilkinson almost extended Southampton’s lead with a powerful strike, comfortably saved by Fran Stenson. In added time, Blades’ Tara Bourne came close to salvaging a point, but her effort went over the bar.

Spacey-Cale’s team managed to hold onto their lead and secure three crucial points in the tightly contested Championship promotion race.

The next match for Southampton FC Women will be against Crystal Palace on Sunday, February 4 at St Mary's.

Proper Nouns: Katie Wilkinson, Saints, Sheffield United, Bramall Lane, Sophia Pharoah, Marieanne Spacey-Cale, Charlton Athletic, Kayla Rendell, Milly Mott, Atlanta Primus, Lucia Kendall, Isobel Goodwin, Fran Stenson, Tara Bourne, Championship, Crystal Palace, St Mary’s