SOUTHAMPTON FC Women kicked off their Women's League Cup campaign with a 1-0 defeat to fellow Championship side London City Lionesses on Thursday evening.

Saints looked to be set for bonus point penalties when Kalya Rendell denied a long-range effort until Maddi Wilde grabbed an 86th-minute winner for the visitors.

The hosts had chances to take the lead in the first half, seeing the ball come off the woodwork twice in a matter of minutes.

Group C got off to an action-packed start on Wednesday evening when WSL side West Ham thrashed Championship strugglers Portsmouth 6-1.

Saints named a strong team for their group stage opener as Remi Allen elected to make four changes from the team that beat Sheffield United 2-0 Sunday.

Rendell returned between the sticks while Rachel Brown and Emma Thompson got their first starts of the season and top goalscorer Rianna Dean came back in.

Saints started quickly and came close to scoring inside 60 seconds, Thompson seeing a shot fly just wide from the edge of the box after pinching the ball.

It was then the visitor's turn to be gifted a chance. A stray pass played Isobel Goodwin through on goal, but Milly Mott did enough to stake the sting out of her effort.

Thompson, a livewire in the early stages, saw her next effort saved onto the post before the rebound was blocked behind for a corner, from which the ball cannoned off the crossbar.

Saints started the second half much like the first. They went close when Dean sent an effort over having been teed up by Lucia Kendall. 

Welsh international Alice Griffiths then fired just over the crossbar having won the ball back in midfield.

London City grew back into the game as the second half progressed but were unable to really test Rendell between the sticks.

With 20 minutes remaining, Allen made a double change in attack, introducing Freya Gregory and Kayla Nohasiarisoa.

Teenager Nohasiarisoa came on for just her second Saints appearance, having made her debut in the same competition last season. 

Both teams were dealt injury blows with 15 minutes to go. First, Swedish international Jula Roddar, who came on a halftime, was forced off for London City.

Saints then lost Dean minutes later to a knee injury and she was replaced by Welsh international Rachel Rowe.

The former Reading and Rangers star made an immediate impact with her direct running and nearly played Gregory through before being fouled.

Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, who played alongside Allen at Aston Villa, won a late corner when her long-range effort was turned past the post by Rendell.

The England youth international looked to have sent the game to bonus point penalties, however, London City grabbed a winner at the death.

Wilde poked in at the near post from the resulting corner to ensure London City started their League Cup campaign with three points.

Saints: Rendell, Brown, Mott, Peake, Purfield (Collett, 64'), Griffiths, Kendall (Nohasiarisoa, 73'), Palmer (Peplow, 64'), Pike (Gregory, 73'), Dean (Rowe, 79'), Thompson.

Unused subs: Bourne, Stenson.

London City: Moloney, Neville, Brougham (Goldie, h-t), Scofield, Marshl, Meyong (Roddar, h-t (Mengyu, 74')), Fitzgerald, Wilde, Brown, Goodwin (Boye-Hlorkah, h-t), Henson (Mukandi, 60').

Unused subs: Orman.

Attendance: 753