Conti Cup group topped with 1-0 win at Southampton - on-the-whistle report

We advanced to the knockout stages of the FA Women's Continental League Cup by topping the group with nine points out of nine following Sunday's 1-0 win against Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium.

Nikola Karczewska gave us the lead in the first half by making the most of an excellent cross from Rosella Ayane, and we did more than enough to hold on in the second half.

Rehanne Skinner made six changes to the side that began Wednesday's game against Everton, Tinja-Riikka Korpela, Kerys Harrop, Celin Bizet, Angharad James, Chioma Ubogagu and Gracie Pearse coming in for Rebecca Spencer, Asmita Ale, So-hyun Cho, Ashleigh Neville, Drew Spence and Shelina Zadorsky.

We had the first chance of the game when Molly Bartrip's cross reached Karczewska at the far post, but Kayla Rendell was on hand to make the save. Bartrip then made a good tackle on Sophie Pharoah at the other end, before Ella Pusey curled straight into Korpela's gloves.

Ubogagu, occupying the right wing early in the first half, drifted into a more central position and dragged a shot wide of the post with her left foot following a good run while Summanen's corner was headed wide by Karczewska at the far post as we continued to look more likely to take the lead.

Harrop came closest when she headed onto the bar from Ayane's delivery mid-way through the first half, while Ubogagu made another mazy run, cutting in from the right and carrying the ball forward before poking it through to Karczewska, whose rising effort was tipped over the bar by Rendell.

Then, the pressure paid off. Ayane put in a wonderful cross from the left, one that Karczewska was able to take down and tuck past the onrushing Rendell for 1-0.

Ayane curled a shot towards the bottom left corner from long range with half-time approaching, but this time Rendell got down to catch the ball, before Ella Morris fired over on the volley and we went into the break with the lead.

At half-time, we replaced Ayane with Cho.

Beth Lumsden looked hungry for an equaliser early in the second half as she worked her way in from the left wing to get a shot away, but it was too soft to trouble Korpela. Southampton's cross then came out to Lucia Kendall and Bartrip made another crucial block.

A coming together in midfield brought a brief halt to proceedings, but Cho was able to carry on having been on the receiving end of the collision.

We made three changes with 20 minutes remaining, Pearse, Karczewska and James making way for Ale, Lenna Gunning-Williams and Spence. Ale almost made an instant impact as she played the ball inside to Bizet, whose curling effort just flew over the top right of the goal.

Ubogagu struck over the bar as we searched for a second with just under 15 minutes remaining before Kayleigh Stead replaced her for her Spurs debut.

Stead played a nice pass forward for Gunning-Williams to run onto and the latter curled the ball towards goal, Rendell getting down to catch.

We saw out five minutes of stoppage time without allowing Southampton to create any clear chances to progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

Reaction on SPURSPLAY