Summanen’s late penalty secures win over Southampton

Martha Thomas netted her second goal of pre-season before Eveliina Summanen converted from the spot as we came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Southampton on Thursday.

We were made to work hard for the second win of our pre-season programme as the FA Women’s Championship side took the lead with a clean strike from Rachel Rowe on 20 minutes, but Thomas levelled just five minutes later with a clinical finish from inside the box.

A number of changes were made at half-time as Robert Vilahamn continued to give players match minutes and, although it stopped the follow of the game throughout spells of the second half, we managed to find the winner in the closing stages of the game as Summanen calmly slotted away her penalty to maintain our perfect start to pre-season.

Defender Clare Hunt, who joined us at the beginning of August from Paris Saint-Germain, made her first appearance for the Club and she quickly settled into the backline, putting in a number of strong tackles while also looking composed on the ball in the opening stages of the game.

Former Spur player Rianna Dean and defender Charlotte Grant had similar opportunities in a matter of minutes of each other inside the first 10 minutes, both sending their efforts on the half-volley over the bar. Lucia Kendall glanced a header narrowly wide of the post, while Kit Graham forced Fran Stenson into a low save as both sides stepped up the intensity.

The deadlock was broken on 23 minutes by the Saints and it was an outstanding finish from Rachel Rowe, picking out the top right-hand corner from distance. We found the leveller just five minutes later as Drew Spence’s low cross was met by Thomas at the front post, her first time strike finding the back of the net via the inside of the post.

We made wholesale changes at the break and one of those substitutes Ella Morris, who was facing her former side, saw her left-footed strike saved well by Benedicte Haaland as chances were few and far between for a large period of the second half.

The game did suddenly burst into life in the final stages, Olga Ahtinen, who scored a stunning goal at the weekend against London City Lionesses, tried her luck from distance once again but her effort was tipped over the bar by Haaland.

With just two minutes left on the clock, the referee pointed to the spot after he adjudged Amanda Nilden to be brought down and Summanen stepped up to take spot-kick, firing her effort past Haaland to put us ahead. Saints responded well and were inches away from grabbing an equaliser straight after as Eleanor Heeps pushed Emma Thompson’s curling strike around the post.