JEMMA Purfield scored a second half header as Saints Women beat Portsmouth 2-1 at Westleigh Park to progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The visitors took the lead when an Ella Morris cross was put into her own net by Jazmin Younger.

The National League South side responded well and were level when Emma Jones headed in from a free kick.

Saints improved after the break and they sealed the win on 74 minutes when Purfield got on the end of another Morris delivery to grab the bragging rights in the south coast derby.

Head coach Marieanne Spacey-Cale made four changes to the team that lost to Arsenal in the Continental Cup on November 23.

Bethany-May Howard, Atlanta Primus, Lexi Lloyd-Smith, and Sophia Pharoah were all awarded starts for the visitors.

Portsmouth had the first opportunity of the game when a long pass found Sophie Quirk but Howard was quick off her line to thwart the forward.

The hosts had certainly gained encouragement from that and were not looking overawed against Saints.

Spacey-Cale's side created their first chance when Morris' cross found Lloyd-Smith but she could not direct her header on target.

The hosts did not respond to that warning and they were behind after 15 minutes as a dangerous delivery by Morris was headed in by Younger.

The game settled down slightly after the goal but Morris was causing regular problems for the home side with the space she was finding on the right side.

Saints almost doubled their advantage when a cross from the left found its way to the back post where Lloyd-Smith was waiting.

She twisted inside the defender before Hannah Haughton denied her in the Portsmouth goal.

Minutes later, the hosts punished that missed chance when Jones nodded in from Nicole Barrett's free kick to make it 1-1.

The home side had deserved the equaliser in truth and Saints knew a big second half performance was needed to seal their progression to the next round.

Saints started the second half on the front foot but Primus could only direct her header wide from a corner.

And they were almost ahead in sensational style when Rianna Dean's strike from distance crashed against the crossbar with Lloyd-Smith unable to put the rebound in.

Southampton were beginning to become frustrated as for the second time in a matter of minutes, they were denied by the woodwork as Pharoah's header hit the post.

The Saints boss turned to her bench in the 64th minute as the visitors attempted to crank up the pressure in a search for the winner.

Laura Rafferty, Alice Griffiths, and Molly Pike entered the action for the visitors with Pharoah, Primus, and Paige Peake making way.

Those changes had the desired effect because soon after, Morris' excellent cross was headed in superbly by Purfield at the back post with only 16 minutes remaining.

Portsmouth were not going to give up against the Championship side, though, and they almost got a late leveller - but no player was able to get on the end of former Saint Beth Lumsden's threatening cross.