'I guess I just got lucky' - Portsmouth Women's goalkeeper Hannah Haughton's plays down shoot-out heroics in south coast derby Hampshire Women's Senior Cup final win over Southampton FC Women
The brilliant Blues stopper saved from both Southampton Women's Shannon Sievwright and Georgie Freeland, before goalkeeper Kayla Rendell's miss saw Pompey claim county glory with a 3-2 penalties victory in front of fans at Westleigh Park last night.
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Hide AdBut rather than claim all the plaudits herself, Haughton praised her team-mates' efforts for helping Jay Sadler's side to an incredible 12th consecutive Hampshire Senior Cup triumph.
Katie James, Mia Adaway and Danielle Rowe were all on the mark in the shoot-out for Pompey - that was after captain Jade Bradley's first half free-kick was cancelled out by Rachel Panting's strike as it ended 1-1 in normal time.
Yet Haughton shrugged off her heroics in the shoot-out as 'guess work' - and was just relieved to 'give something back’ to the team.
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Hide AdShe said: ‘It was an amazing game, it could have gone either way, penalties is either the best way to win it or the worst way to lose it.
‘When you win it on pens it’s just something amazing. Credit needs to go to the rest of the team, they battled their hearts out.‘You feel a lot of pressure (going into a shoot-out). I guess I just got lucky - there were a couple of saves in there.
‘I don’t really know what to say, I’m just so grateful to be on such an amazing team, it’s nice to give the girls something back as well and for how amazing they are.
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Hide Ad‘I guess I just guessed the right way (in the shoot-out). They did have some good pens in there as well, some of their pens were very good.’It was almost the perfect night for Pompey as they beat their south coast rivals in a cup final - and in front of supporters.
Haughton said it was a great feeling to be able to claim silverware in front of fans again.
She added: ‘We’ve missed our fans - I don’t know how many were here - but this place was packed. To have the fans there cheering when we make a tackle and take a shot - it’s just an incredible feeling and it really drives us on.’
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