SOUTHAMPTON Saints' vice-like grip on the Hampshire Women's Challenge Cup shows no sign of relenting.

The club may be going through a tough time in the FA Women's Premier League National Division but, locally, they still reign supreme.

This time it was city rivals Southampton WFC who were put to the sword 6-0 at Stoneham Park.

It ensured Saints' name was inscribed on the trophy for the seventh successive season, having been unbeaten in the competition since its inception in the 1996/97 season.

Louise Stirling, an up-and-coming 17-year-old striker from the Southampton FC Academy at Barton Peveril weighed in with two goals as did Kirsty Bell.

Midfielder Corinne Yorston also got in on the act, but the highlight for the Saints was seeing their England under-19 goalkeeper Toni-Anne Wayne come off the subs' bench in an outfield role and get her name on the scoresheet.

"We brought her on with about 12 minutes to go and she beat a player wide on the left and unleashed a cross-shot which curled under the bar and went in off the far post," smiled Saints head coach Ivor Gumm.

Wayne's goalkeeping gloves were handed to another outstanding Academy product Connie Brazier, also 17, who pulled off three excellent first-half saves to help maintain Saints' dominance.

Although the win was quite convincing, Gumm reckons his young charges should have scored more. He said: "From a manager's point of view it was quite frustrating. We didn't move the ball round quickly enough for my liking. It was one-sided, although Southampton WFC had one or two very decent players."