SAINTS Women bowed out the Continental Cup with a 3-0 defeat to Women's Super League side Tottenham on Thursday evening.

A cracking strike from Grace Clinton rounded out a dominant win for Spurs after Ramona Petzelberger and Charlotte Grant had put them two in front.

Goalkeeper Kayla Rendell come on from the bench to make her return from injury, while youngsters Isabel Watts and Kayla Nohasiarisoa made their senior debuts from the bench.

The defeat meant Southampton finished third in Group D - on five points - behind Tottenham and Arsenal.

Saints fell to a late 2-1 defeat against the Gunners when they last faced WSL opposition.

In contrast to that record-breaking game at St Mary’s, Marieanne Spacey-Cale’s side welcomed Spurs to Eastleigh’s Silverlake Stadium.

Summer signing Izzy Milne has handed her first home start as Saints made three chances, with Chloe Peplow and Lexi Lloyd-Smith also getting the nod.

Only Amy Turner, Molly Bartrip and Martha Thomas kept their place for Spurs after their 4-3 win over West Ham United on Sunday.

It was the away side who set the early tone. They capitalised on a wayward Southampton shot to launch an early counterattack.

Amanda Nildén crossed for Martha Thomas, but the Scottish international could not connect with the delivery at the back post.

The 27 year old then had Bethany Howard beat only for her flicked effort to crash off the crossbar.

It was then Southampton’s turn to hit the woodwork moments later. A great ball over the top from Paige Peake fed Lloyd-Smith, whose cross was turned behind for a corner.

The resulting delivery was diverted onto the crossbar by Becky Spencer before captain Lucia Kendall fired the rebound just past the post.

Southampton were quickly made to pay for their narrow miss as Spurs took the lead on 29 minutes - Petzelberger's deflected effort catching out Howard.

Robert Vilahamn’s side came close to a second when Howard could turned the ball back into the danger zone, but Saints reacted quickest to scramble clear.

Having received treatment in the first half, Howard was replaced at the break by first-choice goalkeeper Rendell.

The 22 year old’s first action on her return from injury was to claim a tame header from fellow substitute Beth England.

Roselle Ayane should have doubled Tottenham’s lead 10 minutes into the second half, but the Moroccan spurned a chance inside the box after a low cross from Jessica Naz.

A lack of composure in the final continued to hinder Southampton from getting themselves back into the game.

A comeback became more difficult when Grant managed to squeeze the ball under Rendell from close range.

Tottenham's third, scored by Clinton, was the pick of the bunch. The Manchester United loanee received the ball 20 yards from goal before bending an effort out of Rendell's reach.

Youngsters Watts and Nohasiarisoa were introduced for their senior debuts with 10 minutes of regular time to go.

England international England was denied a fourth goal by the woodwork after Rendell did well to narrow the angle.

The post saved Saints for a third time in the final minute when Rendell's clearance crashed off England and looped onto the post. 

Saints: Howard (Rendell, h-t), Collett (Mott, h-t), Rafferty, Peake, Purfield, Milne, Peplow (Nohasiarisoa, 79'), Kendall (Primus, h-t), Pharoah, Pike (Watts, 79'), Lloyd-Smith.

Unused subs: Hotston.

Tottenham: Spencer, Grant, Turner, Bartrip, Nilden (James, h-t), Petzelberger (Bizet, 73'), Ayane (Clinton, 73'), Graham, Vindberg, Thomas (England, h-t), Naz (Brazil, 59’)

Unused subs: Votikova, Neville, Summanen, Ahtinen.

Attendance: 1735