It's 15 straight wins for relentless Portsmouth Women as bumper crowd watch double title bid continue

Ruthless Pompey Women took a huge stride towards the title - and at the same time eliminated Rugby Borough from the promotion race.

Heading into the Fratton Park fixture, only the Midlands-based side and Hashtag United could deny the runaways leaders a place in the Women’s Championship next season.

However, Jay Sadler’s clinical side saw off their third-placed rivals with a 4-0 triumph in front of a 2,405 crowd to stretch their lead at the summit to eight points with four games remaining.

The scoreline was harsh on the visitors, with the Blues having player of the match Hannah Haughton to thank for a string of fine saves, particularly in the first half, against a good Rugby side.

Nonetheless, this Pompey team is full of goals and attacking quality and remained a constant threat, particularly with a player of the calibre of Sophie Quirk in their arsenal.

Ava Rowbotham and Leeta Rutherford netted in the first-half, while Ella Humphrey and substitute Daisy McLachlan added the emphatic victory after the break.

Watched by John Mousinho and his young family, along with sporting director Rich Hughes and chief executive Andy Cullen, it marked a wonderful return to Fratton Park for Sadler’s impressive side, where they hope to play more regularly over the next three years.

And the likelihood is next term it will be in the Championship following a staggering 15th successive league victory in their relentless pursuit of promotion.

In the opening minute, a tremendous run down the left from Quirk resulted in her cutting across the byline and pulling the ball back, but Rowbotham’s shot flew into the side netting.

However, on four minutes, the midfielder did find the back of the net, with a stunning angled finish.

A Rugby defender passed back to Erin Foley, but the goalkeeper was already on the move and the ball went past her, leaving an unguarded net.

Rowbotham gave chase and, from the right, fired in a shot from the narrowest of angles to make it 1-0, with Quirk lurking in the box ready to capitalise.

The visitors responded positively, with several challenging moments, including Hannah Haughton making a flying save from Lily Greenslade on 13 minutes.

Yet the Blues continued to offer a threat on the break and Ella Humphrey attempted an outrageous shot from 35-yards after noticing the keeper off her line, but it was narrowly over the bar.

It was 2-0 on 26 minutes when Emma Jones’ corner delivered from the right was bundled in by the head of Leeta Rutherford among a ruck of bodies.

It represented crucial breathing space for Sadler’s side, although, moments later, Haughton pulled off a superb stop to deny Yasmin Mosby’s goal-bound shot from the edge of the box.

Regardless of the scoreline, Rugby were posing plenty of problems, enjoying plenty of possession in the opposition final third, yet the Blues were defending their box excellently.

Certainly the visitors may have felt a little hard done-by at the interval - and left with a mountain to climb to even claim a point despite so many promising moves.

At the start of the second half, Haughton continued to be tested and, on 56 minutes, produced another fine save, this time to deny Lucy Whipp’s shot from outside the box.

Yet on 62 minutes it was 3-0, very much against the run of play, with a wonderful strike from Humphrey.

Inevitably, Quirk was at the heart of it, driving inside from the left before finding the winger who cut across in front of the box before firing a 20-yard left-footed shot into the top corner.

Humphrey celebrated with those Pompey fans present, pointing to the badge on her shirt, although it would be her final involvement, being replaced by Daisy McLachlan.

Minutes later, McLachlan’s header from a left-wing corner was cleared off the line from Rugby as the Blues searched for even more goals.

It was 4-0 on 77 minutes, with Quirk finding McLachlan on the right and she rattled off a magnificent right-footed shot from outside the box into the top corner.

Pompey: Haughton, Barrett, Lane, Casley, Collins (89 mins Wild) Rutherford, Rowbotham (68 mins Hall), Freeland, Humphrey (64 mins McLachlan), Jones (85 mins Pitman), Quirk (89 mins Scott).

Attendance, 2,405