PERENNIAL CHALLENGERS POMPEY FINALLY SECURE PROMOTION

After skirting painfully close to promotion in previous seasons, Portsmouth finally clinched the title in 2011-12 to secure their place in the National Division.

Despite having to play catch-up with fixtures due to postponements and Cup ties, Pompey kept their cool  during their three games across April and May and gradually hauled in then overtook Colchester United at the head of the table. Incredibly, the U’s had completed their league schedule by Christmas, their last action being a costly 2-1 defeat to West Ham on 18th December.

Portsmouth’s 2-1 win against relegation-fighting Plymouth, in their penultimate game, was the result that captured the crown. Manager Vanessa Raynbird spoke to Women’s Soccer Scene about the relief and joy at their achievement, especially considering the near misses in the past: “At the end of the game we were euphoric,” she said.

"There was great excitement for everyone involved in the club. We all ran on to the pitch and players bundling on top of each other - even I ended up on the ground, although the players knew better than to jump on me!"

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Pompey boss Ness Raynbird (Photo by Paul Thomas - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

"We have been close a number of times, which has been a bit frustrating in the past, but I think it's a great achievement to win this league, whenever and whoever does it. It's a very tight division and with only one team going up, you can't drop too many points - otherwise you won't make it.”

What was it that got Pompey over the line that season, compared to some of the earlier disappointments during their nine years in the Division? Raynbird credited the squad’s strength in depth, their improved consistency and her team’s ability to turn possession into goals on a regular basis:

She said: “We signed Jemma Tewkesbury, the second top goalscorer in the league last season whilst playing for Yeovil, and Charley Wilson, a prolific goalscorer from Havant & Waterlooville and along with our captain Gemma Hillier, our three forwards notched up 46 goals in all FA Competitions.” 

Although they wore the colours of the men’s club, the Portsmouth women’s side were financially independent and so relied on fundraising and sponsorship - this was a note of concern as they looked ahead to the step up.

Further down the table, Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed their first season in the FAWPL amongst more established company. But the south west suffered a double blow with the 2010-11 South West Combination champions Plymouth relegated after just one term while bottom club Keynsham Town also had to drop down a tier.

RESULTS

21/8/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-3 Keynsham Town
Millwall Lionesses 3-3 Plymouth Argyle
Portsmouth 4-3 Colchester United
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Gillingham
Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 West Ham United

28/8/2011
Colchester United 2-2 Queens Park Rangers
Gillingham 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Plymouth Argyle 3-1 Keynsham Town
Tottenham Hotspur 0-4 Portsmouth
West Ham United 3-1 Millwall Lionesses

4/9/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Plymouth Argyle
Gillingham 1-4 Colchester United
Millwall Lionesses 0-6 Portsmouth
Queens Park Rangers 0-4 Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United 3-4 Keynsham Town

11/9/2011
Colchester United 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Millwall Lionesses 0-1 Queens Park Rangers
Portsmouth 1-1 Keynsham Town
Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Gillingham
West Ham United 4-0 Plymouth Argyle

18/9/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 West Ham United
Colchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Gillingham 2-1 Millwall Lionesses 
Keynsham Town 0-0 Queens Park Rangers
Plymouth Argyle 1-5 Portsmouth

25/9/2011
Keynsham Town 1-3 Gillingham
Millwall Lionesses 3-2 Colchester United
Portsmouth 1-2 West Ham United 
Queens Park Rangers 5-4 Plymouth Argyle
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

2/10/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Portsmouth
Colchester United 2-2 Keynsham Town
Plymouth Argyle 4-1 Gillingham
Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Millwall Lionesses 
West Ham United 3-0 Queens Park Rangers 

9/10/2011
Gillingham 0-0 West Ham United 
Keynsham Town 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Millwall Lionesses 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Plymouth Argyle 1-2 Colchester United

16/10/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 Queens Park Rangers
Portsmouth 1-1 Gillingham 
Tottenham Hotspur 2-3 Plymouth Argyle
West Ham United 1-2 Colchester United

23/10/2011
Colchester United 1-1 Portsmouth
Gillingham 1-1 Queens Park Rangers
Keynsham Town 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Millwall Lionesses
West Ham United 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur

30/10/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Gillingham
Keynsham Town 8-2 Plymouth Argyle
Millwall Lionesses 0-0 West Ham United
Portsmouth 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur 
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Colchester United

6/11/2011
Colchester United 4-1 Gillingham
Keynsham Town 0-2 West Ham United
Portsmouth 4-2 Millwall Lionesses
Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Queens Park Rangers 

13/11/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 Colchester United
Gillingham 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Keynsham Town 0-2 Portsmouth
Plymouth Argyle 1-2 West Ham United
Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Millwall Lionesses

20/11/2011
Tottenham Hotspur 3-4 Colchester United

27/11/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Colchester United 5-0 Millwall Lionesses
Gillingham 2-1 Keynsham Town 
West Ham United 4-3 Portsmouth

4/12/2011
Gillingham 0-2 Plymouth Argyle
Keynsham Town 2-3 Colchester United
Millwall Lionesses 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Portsmouth 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion

11/12/2011
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 Millwall Lionesses
Colchester United 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Portsmouth 4-0 Queens Park Rangers 
Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Keynsham Town
West Ham United 1-1 Gillingham

18/12/2011
Colchester United 1-2 West Ham United

22/1/2012
Millwall Lionesses 2-0 Keynsham Town
Queens Park Rangers 0-1 West Ham United

19/2/2012
Keynsham Town 2-0 Millwall Lionesses

26/2/2012
Plymouth Argyle 1-3 Queens Park Rangers

4/3/2012
West Ham United 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion

18/3/2012
Millwall Lionesses 1-0 Gillingham

1/4/2012
Gillingham 1-2 Portsmouth
Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

8/4/2012
Queens Park Rangers 4-0 Brighton & Hove Albion

15/4/2012
Plymouth Argyle 1-4 Tottenham Hotspur
Queens Park Rangers 1-1 Keynsham Town 

22/4/2012
Portsmouth 2-1 Plymouth Argyle

13/5/2012
Queens Park Rangers 1-4 Portsmouth