West Ham United Ladies got their first win of the season and it was
a win well worth waiting for as they triumphed 5-1 away at
Southampton.
From a set piece on six minutes Aoife Aherne slammed the ball into
the back of the net to put the Hammers into the lead. This gave the
girls the confidence that may have started to wane this season and
midway through the half, after a brilliant run around the
Southampton goalkeeper Sam Pittuck slotted home for West Ham's
second.
Another Sam Pittuck effort shortly after was blocked by the keeper
and had this effort gone in then surely it would have been game
over. However the Saints gave themselves a life line as they pulled
back a goal just before half-time to reduce Hammers lead to 2-1.
The expected Southampton fight back came in the second-half but the
Hammers simply step up another gear and within two minutes of the
re-start they almost got a third when a Vicki Lewis effort was
deflected for a corner.
The Southampton goalkeeper was in for a busy afternoon and again
Sam Pittuck's mazy run at goal was blocked by the keeper.
The Hammers were far from resting on their lead as they kept
pressurising the Saints.
But they were caught out at the back and in the 54th minute only
some very brave goal-keeping from Clare Lacey prevented the home
side from levelling.
The game was really put beyond Southampton's reach when on 60
minutes another set piece from just outside the area saw Aoife
Atherne's drive find the back of the Saints net.
Within two minutes came the fourth when substitute Hayley
Barton's cross found Nicola Dunsdon whose drive made it four to
the Hammers.
West Ham continued to take the game to Southampton and at no point
did they attempt to shut up shop and sit on their deserved win.
This paid dividends in injury time when a superb drive from Nicola
Dunsdon made it 5-1.
WEST HAM UNITED: Clare Lacey, Carly Roache, Kerry Stimpson, Lindsay Morgan, Kate Turney, Stacey Crump, Vicki Lewis, Aoife Aherne, Vicki Bruce, Sam Pittuck, Nicola Dunsdon. SUBS: Hayley Barton, Kate Fanning, Christina Oshodi.