Match Report
Report: Sheffield United 0-4 Bristol City.
02 May 2026
City missed out on a bonus point, losing on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Southampton in the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup.
Rachel Furness’ first half header was cancelled out by a Lexi Lloyd-Smith strike just after half-time, before Brooke Aspin missed her spot-kick to see the visitors come away with the two points.
Lauren Smith made eight changes from the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, one being Sille Struck, coming in for her Robins debut.
City started brightly, with Shania Hayles forcing a corner early on. Ffion Morgan’s subsequent delivery was headed on by Rachel Furness, but it didn't have enough on it to trouble Bethany Howard in the Southampton goal.
Jemma Purfield curled a lovely cross towards Megan Wynne at the back post, and her effort looked set to beat Kaylan Marchese, but sailed inches wide.
The first shot on target of the contest came just after the tenth minute when Jamie-Lee Napier latched onto Hayles’ flick-on and fired a shot at goal, but it was well saved by Howard.
The visitors looked destined to score when Wynne found herself one-on-one with Marckese, Jess Simpson’s last-ditch tackle fell into the path of Lexi Lloyd-Smith, but Napier was on hand to sweep the ball away from danger in the nick of time.
Southampton went close again when Lucia Kendall found Katie Wilkinson at the front post, but the striker could only hit the side netting from a tight angle.
Jasmine Bull, being deployed at right-back, blocked Lloyd-Smith’s shot from the edge of the area before the following corner was headed away.
The best chance of the half fell to Hayles when she pounced on a loose back pass and was one on one with Howard, but her shot was saved for a corner.
Jess Simpson played the corner short to Ffion Morgan, and the Welsh international's deep delivery was headed home by the skipper for the night, Rachel Furness, to give City the lead.
Lloyd-Smith and Wilkinson combined again to find Wynne in acres of space, but she misfired a glorious opportunity high and wide.
Saints’ best opportunity of the game came just before the break when Lloyd-Smith tried to find the far corner with a lovely curled effort, but could only watch it fly agonisingly wide.
City flew out the blocks after half-time and Mari Ward’s pinpoint cross was met by Emily Syme, but her header fell wide.
Southampton equalised when the ever-dangerous Lloyd-Smith swept a low cross from the right into the bottom corner, leaving Marckese with little chance.
Lauren Smith was forced into a change when Simpson collided with a visiting defender and left the field to a standing ovation from the fans at the High Performance Centre as she was replaced by Chloe Mustaki.
Mustaki was straight into the action, seeing her whipped free-kick flicked wide by Mari Ward.
Marckese pulled off a spectacular save to keep the scores level as we headed into the final stages, tipping substitute Emma Thompson’s shot over the bar.
The Robins’ shot stopper was involved again as her long-ball found Napier in-behind, but the Scot miscued her shot wide.
Tianna Teisar then went close to her first goal in City colours, firing wide as the tie entered a minimum of five additional minutes.
It ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, meaning we headed to a penalty shootout to determine who picked up the bonus point.
Marckese saved two spot-kicks, but it was Southampton who took the bonus point, with Brooke Aspin missing the decisive penalty.
Words: Kory Cook