Oxford United Women lost 4-0 on the road to Portsmouth Women this afternoon in the FAWNL Southern Premier Division.

A double from Dani Lane and one from Leeta Rutherford put Pompey three ahead at the break, before Beth Lumsden added a fourth in a better second half for the U's.

It was a decent enough start for United, Izzy Cook winning a free kick right on the edge of the box with a minute gone. Shelly Provan curled the set piece goalward, but Hannah Haughton was able to claim it.

The U’s were forced in to an early change though; Cook seemed to pick up a knock from the challenge and was replaced by Anais Trinci in the tenth minute.

Leah Burridge had a good effort in the 19^th minute, latching on to a loose ball and striking her effort just wide from range as Haughton stood watching with relief.

These two sides battled at the top of the division last season and it was always going to be a difficult fixture.

Sophie Quirk is an excellent player at this level and she provided the key for the opening goal with 20 played. When she turned back inside down the left, Hayley Hoare couldn’t get close enough to block the cross and the Pompey winger put it on a plate for Lane to head home from close range.

Things went from bad to worse in a matter of minutes when former United forward Lumsden’s free kick from range deflected toward the bottom corner. Paris Sercombe did well to get down low and hook the ball off the line, but Rutherford was quickest to the second ball and tucked home from a yard out to double the home side’s advantage with 23 minutes gone.

Pompey began to dominate possession with the two goal cushion and made it very tough for United to create.

Sarah King and Zoe Barratt were lively but when Lane added a third minutes before the break from a corner, the U’s were left with lots of work to do at the break.

The Yellows had no option but to go at Portsmouth from the restart and they did that well. Barratt was played through the middle by Burridge early on but Riva Casley, as she did so many times for Oxford last season, made a recovery tackle just as she was about to shoot.

Then, in the 54th minute Lily Stevens superb free kick was tipped over the bar by an equally brilliant diving save from Haughton.

On the hour mark, Interim Manager George Anthony tried to change things up with Jenna Legg and Taome Oliver replacing Kate Wiseman and King, but shortly after Pompey found a fourth when Lumsden broke free in the box and finished low across Sercombe to knock any remaining wind out the Yellow sails.

The U's shotstopper made an excellent save with fifteen minutes remaining to deny Emma Jones from point blank range, Iesha Swaby replaced Trinci but the U's couldnt find a consolation and the game ended 4-0.

A tough day for United was rounded off by Stevens being sent off for a straight red in the 85th minute following a cynical challenge that was adjudged to have been dangerous.

They now need to bounce back next weekend with a trip to the only undefeated side in the division, Hashtag United, in the FAWNL Cup.

LINEUP: Sercombe, Provan, Sherwood, Gotch, Hoare, Wiseman (Legg 61'), Stevens, Burridge, King (Oliver 61'), Barratt, Cook (Trinci 10’, Swaby 78')

Report by Billy Lawrence, photos by Darrell Fisher and Liam Faulkner