SAINTS GO MARCHING ON, AND ON, AND UP!

As ways to close out a football season go, there can't be many better than Southampton’s spectacular run-in to the end of the FAWNL’s 2021-22 campaign.

On 20 April Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s team clinched the Southern Premier Division title; four days later they lifted the League Cup; and four weeks after that they won the League’s promotion play-off to reach the FA Women’s Championship. Way to go! 

The first of the three landmarks was achieved very satisfyingly for Saints, who confirmed themselves as champions with a 2-0 win against near neighbours Portsmouth in a south coast derby played in front of a 5,145 crowd at Southampton FC’s St Mary’s Stadium.  

The title was won with two games to spare and, come the end of the season, with a nine-point gap between themselves and runners-up Oxford United.

But it took a run of nine wins in succession, culminating in that victory over Pompey, to make certain of achieving the first of their season’s big ambitions.

They had opened the campaign just as impressively, winning their first eight games. But Ipswich Town, who would eventually finish third in the table, had made an even better start with 10 straight victories before the two teams faced each other for the first time on 21 November.

Saints were the home side, but the Tractor Girls were 2-0 winners to put them nine points clear at the top of the table - albeit having played two games more. Ipswich then stumbled, however, losing to Oxford on their next outing and then seeing the U’s take over at the top thanks to an 11-game winning streak.

At the beginning of March Oxford had 46 points and Ipswich 45, each team having played 18 matches. Southampton were 10 points behind the leaders, but they had five games in hand - and they made the very most of them, going through the rest of the season unbeaten to set themselves up for a promotion play-off meeting with Northern Premier Division champions Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Like Wolves, Spacey-Cale’s team had won their division at the first attempt after stepping up from Tier 4 in an FA-sanctioned ‘upward movement’ following two seasons ended early through the Covid pandemic.

The Saints manager, who in her playing days had been a star striker for Arsenal and England, said: “It was disappointing we couldn’t finish the (previous two) seasons, but the reality is we’d rather not finish the season than be put into an unsafe environment.

“It was done for all the right reasons because it was very important that people’s health came first. We’ve had the opportunity to come back stronger and come back from the pandemic to be able to be in a position where we are today.”

Looking back at beating Pompey to clinch the title, she said: “The game at St Mary’s was a phenomenal night. It shows how well we are integrated into the club that it was just a game of football, it wasn’t about it being the women’s team, it was just a night of football.”

And as she looked ahead to the play-off, she added: “We’ve done our homework. We’ve had the opportunity to watch them. If you do your homework and set up the week (ahead of the match) and be as consistent as you can, that’s all you can ask.”

FAWNL PROMOTION PLAY-OFF 2021-22

Southampton 1 (Pharoah 22)
Wolves 0

Edgeley Park, Stockport
21 May 2022

In what was the first FAWNL play-off to be broadcast live by the BBC, Sophia Pharoah’s 17th goal of the season was enough for Southampton to defeat 10-player Wolves and claim their place in the FA Women’s Championship.

Pharoah struck in the 22nd minute, collecting a Georgia Freeland cross to take the ball round goalkeeper Shan Turner and tuck her shot into the empty net. 

The lead should have been doubled when, after a Lucia Kendall free-kick had been turned on to the post by Turner, winger Freeland volleyed over the bar from six yards.

Saints were given a boost on the stroke of half-time when Wolves defender Kelly Darby was sent off after committing a second yellow card offence. 

After controlling the opening period the lead was almost doubled three minutes after the break, Kendall sending a 20-yard lob narrowly wide of the far post.

Victory for Saints looked a certainty at this point; but Wolves hit back hard and despite being a player short they pressed for an equaliser right through to stoppage time.

Spacey-Cale admitted: “They gave us a really tough game and credit to them, they were absolutely outstanding. It’s important we didn’t stop believing though, and I think that over the course of the season we’ve fully deserved to go up to the next level.”

Striker Pharoah, as she collected the Player of the Match trophy, said “I can’t take it in at the moment. But this award isn’t individual, it goes out to the whole team.

“It’s amazing. We’ve worked years for this and we’ve shown the League, everyone, what we can do in this one-off game. We had to win it (to get promoted) and we went out and did it.”

Looking ahead to playing in Tier 2 of the women’s game, Pharoah said: “The whole club – the backing we’ve got, the players, the staff, everyone – we’re ready to show what we can do.”

And Spacey-Cale added: “I’m so excited for the club, the players and the supporters. We’ll enjoy tonight then re-group tomorrow, and we’ve already got our plans in place for next season.

Southampton (4-3-2-1): Rendell; Mott, Parnell, Rafferty, Collett (Rood 76); Rutherford, Griffiths, Freeland (Morris 62); Kendall, Ware; Pharoah.

Substitutes not used: Pusey, Luce, Watling.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-1-2): Turner; Darby, E. Cross, Morphet; J. Cross, Price, Cooper, Merrick; George; Hughes, Gauntlett (Miller 69).

Substitutes not used: Dicken, Miller, Walker, Elsmore, Burridge.

Referee: Ms L Impey

FAWNL SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION UPS AND DOWNS 2021-22

As Southampton stepped up from the FAWNL to the Championship, Watford were heading in the opposite direction after just one season in Tier 2 following their post-Covid, FA-sanctioned ‘upward movement.’

In 2022/23 the Golden Girls would be competing in a Southern Premier Division reduced from 14 to 12 clubs, the 12 including promoted pair Billericay Town and Cheltenham Town - the former climbing up as Division One South East champions and the latter having won Division One South West.

Relegated from the 2021-22 Southern Premier Division were the bottom four of Cardiff City, Chichester & Selsey, Keynsham Town and Hounslow.

FINAL TABLE

*adjustment made

FA WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTHERN PREMIER DIVISION RESULTS 2021-22

15/8/2021
Bridgwater United 4-0 Chichester & Selsey
Crawley Wasps 3-0 Cardiff City
Hounslow 0-6 Ipswich Town
Keynsham Town 2-0 London Bees
Oxford United 2-0 Gillingham
Portsmouth 5-1 Plymouth Argyle
Southampton 3-1 Milton Keynes Dons

22/8/2021
Plymouth Argyle 0-3 Southampton
Cardiff City 0-1 Portsmouth
Gillingham 2-0 Hounslow
Ipswich Town 1-0 Crawley Wasps
London Bees 5-1 Keynsham Town
Milton Keynes Dons 1-1 Bridgwater United
Chichester & Selsey 1-0 Oxford United

24/8/2021
Gillingham 0-3 Ipswich Town
Oxford United 5-1 Milton Keynes Dons

25/8/2021
Crawley Wasps 3-2 Portsmouth
Hounslow 0-1 London Bees
Chichester & Selsey 0-2 Southampton

26/8/2021
Keynsham Town 0-2 Cardiff City

29/8/2021
Bridgwater United 3-1 Crawley Wasps
Ipswich Town 1-0 Cardiff City
Keynsham Town 1-5 Plymouth Argyle
London Bees 1-1 Chichester & Selsey
Portsmouth 1-1 Oxford United
Southampton 9-0 Gillingham

5/9/2021
Plymouth Argyle 0-5 Oxford United
Cardiff City 4-1 London Bees
Gillingham 0-0 Bridgwater United
Crawley Wasps 1-0 Milton Keynes Dons
Hounslow 0-9 Southampton
Portsmouth 6-1 Keynsham Town
Chichester & Selsey 0-4 Ipswich Town

9/9/2021
Cardiff City 0-1 Bridgwater United

19/9/2021
Gillingham 4-1 Chichester & Selsey
Ipswich Town 11-2 Keynsham Town
London Bees 1-5 Crawley Wasps

26/9/2021
Plymouth Argyle 1-3 Gillingham
Hounslow 0-11 Portsmouth
Keynsham Town 2-1 Chichester & Selsey
Milton Keynes Dons 1-1 Cardiff City
Oxford United 3-0 Bridgwater United
Southampton 5-0 London Bees

3/10/2021
Bridgwater United 3-0 Plymouth Argyle
Cardiff City 4-0 Hounslow
Gillingham 3-0 Portsmouth
Crawley Wasps 1-0 Oxford United
London Bees 1-3 Ipswich Town
Southampton 9-0 Keynsham Town

5/10/2021
Gillingham 1-0 Crawley Wasps

6/10/2021
Portsmouth 3-1 Chichester & Selsey
Bridgwater United 9-0 Keynsham Town
Milton Keynes Dons 1-5 London Bees

10/10/2021
Portsmouth 0-2 Bridgwater United
Crawley Wasps 5-0 Chichester & Selsey
Hounslow 0-1 Keynsham Town
Ipswich Town 3-0 Milton Keynes Dons
London Bees 4-0 Gillingham

17/10/2021
Chichester & Selsey 1-2 Cardiff City

24/10/2021
Ipswich Town 1-0 Bridgwater United
Keynsham Town 3-1 Crawley Wasps
Milton Keynes Dons 1-2 Gillingham
Oxford United 5-1 London Bees
Portsmouth 3-0 Hounslow

31/10/2021
Cardiff City 0-3 Oxford United
Plymouth Argyle 0-5 Ipswich Town

17/11/2021
Southampton 3-0 Crawley Wasps

21/11/2021
Oxford United 3-0 Plymouth Argyle
Southampton 0-2 Ipswich Town

28/11/2021
Keynsham Town 2-1 Milton Keynes Dons

5/12/2021
Plymouth Argyle 0-3 London Bees
Cardiff City 0-1 Gillingham
Hounslow 0-3 Bridgwater United

12/12/2021
Keynsham Town 0-3 Oxford United
Milton Keynes Dons 0-2 Crawley Wasps

15/12/2021
Portsmouth 0-1 Southampton

19/12/2021
Milton Keynes Dons 3-1 Plymouth Argyle
Oxford United 3-1 Ipswich Town
Portsmouth 2-0 London Bees
Chichester & Selsey 1-0 Bridgwater United

9/1/2022
Cardiff City 1-5 Plymouth Argyle
Ipswich Town 1-1 Portsmouth
Milton Keynes Dons 5-0 Hounslow

16/1/2022
Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Portsmouth
Ipswich Town 9-0 Hounslow
Milton Keynes Dons 0-1 Southampton
Oxford United 2-0 Cardiff City
Chichester & Selsey 0-5 London Bees

23/1/2022
Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Cardiff City
Bridgwater United 2-0 Milton Keynes Dons
Crawley Wasps 1-2 London Bees
Hounslow 0-3 Gillingham
Keynsham Town 2-5 Ipswich Town
Oxford United 3-0 Chichester & Selsey

26/1/2022
Ipswich Town 0-0 Gillingham
Southampton 8-0 Chichester & Selsey
London Bees 5-0 Hounslow

27/1/2022
Cardiff City 2-1 Keynsham Town

30/1/2022
Cardiff City 3-2 Chichester & Selsey
Gillingham 2-1 London Bees
Crawley Wasps 4-2 Keynsham Town
Hounslow 0-1 Milton Keynes Dons
Oxford United 3-1 Portsmouth

6/2/2022
Bridgwater United 0-0 Gillingham
Milton Keynes Dons 0-0 Ipswich Town
Chichester & Selsey 2-1 Plymouth Argyle
London Bees 5-1 Cardiff City

13/2/2022
Bridgwater United 0-2 Southampton
Cardiff City 3-2 Milton Keynes Dons
Gillingham 3-2 Plymouth Argyle
Chichester & Selsey 3-1 Keynsham Town
London Bees 1-2 Oxford United

16/2/2022
Portsmouth 2-3 Crawley Wasps

20/2/2022
Crawley Wasps 0-2 Ipswich Town

27/2/2022
Plymouth Argyle 5-0 Keynsham Town
Milton Keynes Dons 2-1 Chichester & Selsey
Oxford United 3-1 Crawley Wasps
Portsmouth 0-0 Gillingham
London Bees 0-3 Bridgwater United

1/3/2022
Oxford United 7-0 Hounslow

2/3/2022
London Bees 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons

3/3/2022
Keynsham Town 0-2 Bridgwater United

6/3/2022
Bridgwater United 0-1 Ipswich Town
Gillingham 0-0 Milton Keynes Dons
Hounslow 0-2 Plymouth Argyle
Portsmouth 0-0 Cardiff City

9/3/2022
Oxford United 1-1 Southampton

13/3/2022
Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Chichester & Selsey
Cardiff City 0-3 Ipswich Town
Hounslow 1-7 Crawley Wasps
Keynsham Town 0-8 Gillingham
London Bees 0-4 Portsmouth
Milton Keynes Dons 1-0 Oxford United
Southampton 1-1 Bridgwater United

20/3/2022
Plymouth Argyle 5-1 Milton Keynes Dons
Cardiff City 0-4 Southampton
Crawley Wasps 1-2 Bridgwater United
Keynsham Town 6-2 Hounslow
Chichester & Selsey 1-1 Gillingham

23/3/2022
London Bees 1-2 Southampton

27/3/2022
Gillingham 0-2 Southampton
Hounslow 0-5 Cardiff City
Ipswich Town 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Keynsham Town 2-3 Portsmouth
Chichester & Selsey 1-3 Milton Keynes Dons

30/3/2022
Crawley Wasps 0-3 Southampton

31/3/2022
Bridgwater United 4-1 Cardiff City

3/4/2022
Plymouth Argyle 3-4 Crawley Wasps
Bridgwater United 1-0 London Bees
Hounslow 1-7 Chichester & Selsey
Ipswich Town 1-2 Southampton
Oxford United 9-0 Keynsham Town
Portsmouth 0-3 Milton Keynes Dons

6/4/2022
Crawley Wasps 4-1 Hounslow
Chichester & Selsey 0-1 Portsmouth

10/4/2022
Bridgwater United 1-0 Oxford United
Gillingham H-W Keynsham Town (Home Walkover)
Crawley Wasps 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Ipswich Town 1-1 Chichester & Selsey
Milton Keynes Dons 0-1 Portsmouth
Southampton 5-0 Hounslow

13/4/2022
Crawley Wasps 4-2 Gillingham
Hounslow 0-3 Oxford United

14/4/2022
Keynsham Town 1-9 Southampton

17/4/2022
Bridgwater United 0-2 Portsmouth
Cardiff City 1-3 Crawley Wasps
Ipswich Town 3-0 London Bees
Chichester & Selsey 3-0 Hounslow
Southampton 6-1 Plymouth Argyle

20/4/2022
Southampton 2-0 Portsmouth

24/4/2022
Plymouth Argyle 5-0 Hounslow
Gillingham 2-1 Cardiff City
Ipswich Town 0-1 Oxford United

27/4/2022
Southampton 3-3 Oxford United

28/4/2022
Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Bridgwater United

1/5/2022
Bridgwater United 5-0 Hounslow
Gillingham 0-1 Oxford United
London Bees 2-2 Plymouth Argyle
Milton Keynes Dons 5-1 Keynsham Town
Portsmouth 1-0 Ipswich Town
Chichester & Selsey 2-1 Crawley Wasps
Southampton 4-1 Cardiff City