SAINTS Women's boss Marieanne Spacey-Cale insisted she was just pleased to get through to the fourth round of the FA Cup after a scrappy affair with rivals Portsmouth.

Left back Jemma Purfield scored a second-half winner in the 2-1 victory at Westleigh Park but it was tight for long spells of the derby.

Saints had taken the lead when Ella Morris’ cross was turned into her own net by Portsmouth’s Jazmin Younger, but the hosts equalised when Emma Jones headed in before half-time.

Spacey-Cale claimed it was a “not great performance” but she believes there were reasons for that, and that the result was the most important factor. 

She told the Daily Echo: “That was our outcome today. We knew what the game was going to be like.

“We knew it was probably going to be a little bit scrappy with it being the south coast derby, the pitch, the support around it, the weather, and how it started. We knew it would be a leveller.

“Our outcome was to get into the hat, and we have done that on the back of a not-great performance in terms of the standard we would expect of ourselves.

“There were pockets of the game where we were being dominated so I’m pleased we’re in the hat and pleased with how we managed the game today.”

The Saints boss was happy with how her side responded after the break, with the composure shown after Purfield’s goal particularly pleasing for the 57 year old.

She continued: “We said at half time, we need to be calmer in the chaos because that’s what these games are about.

“When we did get the ball down and played a little bit better, we kind of took the game more to Portsmouth and dominated the game a little bit. But we then allowed them the momentum back.

“The goal came at a good time for us as it allowed us to be a bit calmer and manage those moments a little bit more in the latter part of the half.”

The decisive moment arrived in the 74th minute when Morris crossed for Purfield to head in at the back post.

Morris, who scored for England under-23’s in the recent international break, again impressed and Spacey-Cale claimed that she caused Portsmouth problems all afternoon.

She added: “Ella is always one of the players that you get exactly what you get from her. She can beat players for fun. She delivers really good crosses and it’s just about having the players in the box.

“It was a full-back passing to a full-back (for the winner), so you know it just shows the attacking threat that we have got across the pitch.

“But also, the fact that we have a player who has come off the back of two games with England under 23’s and is still energetic and still causing problems for the opposition.”