Southampton manager Remi Allen spoke exclusively with The Halfway Line after her side triumphed 1-0 away at Charlton Athletic.
A much-improved performance from the Saints saw them edge out last season’s Barclays Women’s Championship runners-up, with the deciding goal arriving thanks to centreback Tara Bourne, who signed for the south coast outfit in the summer.
Bouncing back
Allen was understandably disappointed in the performance her side put on against Birmingham City before the international break. After Sunday’s comeback, the head coach expressed how pleased she was with the changes her squad made to their display.
“I asked for a reaction. I asked for them to be better in the duel, to compete, to show desire. I think they did that in abundance, especially the last little period of the game where we were backed against the wall a little bit, you’ve got to defend for your life.”
Southampton dealt well with the threat posed by the Addicks, and the result sees them now just one singular point behind the London side, sixth in the league standings.
“It really showed a character and mentality that we’ve been trying to build, so it was really pleasing to see,” said Allen of the weekend’s clash.
Taking the lead was one thing, but maintaining it was another. This victory required full-stretch saves from Fran Stenson in between the sticks right up until the very death.
‘A complete squad performance’
The Saints boss was beaming with praise for her players at The Valley. Throughout the course of the match, they demonstrated discipline and patience, adapting effectively to Charlton’s style of play.
Whilst the fixture was a closely fought one, it became evident that Southampton took to the road with a clear plan in mind. Allen was delighted with how her side responded to the week’s preparations, saying “I think they really implemented the game plan, and I thought they played really well.”
Megan Collet, Chloe Peplow, Rianna Dean, and Rachel Brown all took their places in Allen’s staring eleven, and the manager praised their contributions to the tie. Southampton created away from home in front of a vocal group of travelling fans, and keeping a clean sheet against Charlton is no easy feat.
“On the flip side,” the head coach continued, “everyone who came on did a job for us as well. So overall, it’s a complete squad performance for me.”
A centreback with a striker’s instinct
It is more than fair to say that Bourne made the decisive difference for the Saints on this occasion. The centreback defended rigorously to keep the scoreline level throughout the opening half, and came out after the break looking more determined than ever.
Allen spoke to The Halfway Line about the joys of working with such defensively gifted player, who does not shy away from expanded her role in the moments it is needed. The head coach expanded on the importance of this to her game plan, and highlighted the mindset that helped it pay off today.
“We ask our centre-halves in the box, when we’re going to attack crosses, to get on the end of them. We’ve been saying it all season so far, we have thought we could be better at that and if it’s not the first contact, it’s the second contact.”
Bourne’s work rate on Sunday from the backline to up-top was unparalleled by anybody else on the field. The defender has clearly settled in well at Southampton after signing from Sheffield United, and Saints fans can certainly look forward to seeing more from her this season.
“She reacted almost like a number nine in the moment and finished it, so it was a really nice moment for her,” said Allen of Bourne’s late-winner against Charlton.
The player is rising up through the ranks of the England youth setup, and brings a whole new dimension to Southampton’s game against the top-dogs of the Barclays Women’s Championship.
Another test awaits, though, as Allen’s side will host third-place Durham FC at St Mary’s Stadium this coming Sunday.
