Swindon Town Women lose 5-1 to Southampton Women at the County Ground

In the third game at the County Ground this season, James Lally’s side were 3-0 down by half-time before Shannon Albuery completed her hat-trick in the second half to wrap up a convincing scoreline.

Town made two changes to their starting XI as Emison Evans was handed a full debut alongside returning club captain, Rianne Bourne-Hallett. Kat Bach dropped to the bench while Gipsy Viveash was absent from the squad altogether.

The hosts made a decent start on home soil but soon found themselves behind in unfortunate circumstances. In the 10th minute, Sirens’ striker Albuery set the ball back for Jas Nassar to cross, but her deep delivery sailed over everyone in the middle – including goalkeeper Emily McGrogan – and into the net.

Annie Colston could have equalised at the end of a slick Swindon counter-attack shortly after, but her shot was scuffed. Meanwhile, McGrogan kept her team in it courtesy of three saves – each one more impressive than the next – midway through the half.

Colston missed a glorious chance to pull Town level in the 32nd minute, scooping over from six yards out following a low cross.

And five minutes before the break, Swindon were punished for wasting those opportunities when Sirens’ captain, Shan Sievwright finished off a loose ball in the box.

Town’s task became even tougher shortly before the whistle as Albuery nodded home EJ May’s pin-point corner to make it 3-0.

Despite a half-time change in goal for Southampton, the visitors continued to create the better chances and almost added a fourth 10 minutes after the restart when Hope Suominen rounded McGrogan one-on-one but could not force the ball home from a tight angle.

In the 57th minute, Southampton did manage a fourth goal as Summer Kilby slid Albuery through and the striker finished with aplomb past the Town goalkeeper.

Lally’s side continued to offer a threat up the other end, though, and they would have pulled a goal back through Colston if not for an excellent save by Sara Luce when the Town forward was one-on-one.

After McGrogan denied Suominen, Albuery hit the bar from a corner when searching for her hat-trick. Thankfully, from the striker’s point of view, her next opportunity to net for a third time was only moments away.

Inside the final 10 minutes, Suominen was tripped in the box, and Albuery thumped home to wrap up her hat-trick.

Albuery hit the bar once again five minutes from time, but the last goal of the game fell Swindon’s way after Whitton felled Colston in the area. Helena Diaz-Butcher dispatched the spot-kick, despite Luce guessing the correct way, to obtain a consolation for the hosts.