Town Women conceded in the sixth minute of stoppage time as their maiden WSL 2 match at Portman Road ended in a 2-1 defeat to Southampton.

Rachel Brown cruelly struck in the dying seconds as the Blues were beaten at their historic stadium for the first time in front of a crowd of 9,142 supporters.

Lucy Ashworth-Clifford had equalised in the first half for Town after the Saints struck first through Mary Bashford, only for late drama to deny David Wright’s side a share of the spoils.

The Blues remain outside of the relegation zone on goal difference after Portsmouth, who have played two games more, also fell to a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United.

Interim-boss Wright made five changes from last Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, with Everton loanee Kenzie Weir coming in for her debut alongside captain Maria Boswell, Lucy Mitchell, Ashworth-Clifford and Princess Ademiluyi.

Nelly Las, Megan Wearing, Malaika Meena, Ava Baker and Rianna Dean all dropped to the bench, while Abigail Ferguson came in for Southampton’s only change.

Town were rapid out of the blocks and created the first opening inside just 40 seconds when Ademiluyi went to ground after latching onto Kit Graham’s through ball.

Referee Aimee Keir waved play on, and Sophie Peskett poked marginally wide of the near post.

The Saints hit the front after just three minutes. Ferguson got the beating of Bethan Roe down the right and her low ball across the face of goal landed kindly for Bashford to squeeze under Blues keeper Natalia Negri.

As Town sought a leveller, Peskett spotted Graham available for the cutback but her shot was blocked behind by lunging visiting defender Megan Collett.

Somehow the Blues did not equalise from the resulting corner, where Paige Peake’s stab towards goal was hooked off the line by Bashford before Mitchell’s follow-up header was then kept out by goalkeeper Fran Stenson.

Tegan McGowan fired over after the hosts failed to clear their lines at the other end, but Town would find themselves back on terms after 27 minutes.

Peskett pounced on a mistake from Tara Bourne to dart down the right and find Ashworth-Clifford in acres of space inside the six-yard box.

The January signing from Lazio was on hand to tap home her second goal for the club to net the Blues’ first-ever WSL 2 goal at Portman Road.

Peskett was making things happen, she twisted and turned on the edge of the area before her shot was blocked by one of her own teammates.

The final action of a half that Town grew into was Ademiluyi going inches away from reaching Ashworth-Clifford’s teasing ball across the box.

Wright’s side continued where they left off after the break with Peskett once again at the heart of things. Her marauding run down the right led to Graham firing over the bar from the edge of the area.

Just before the hour mark, Stenson was forced into her biggest save of the game when Peskett drifted in from the right and forced the goalkeeper into tipping just wide when it looked destined for the top corner.

With the game firmly in the balance, Southampton responded when Ferguson volleyed high over the top of Negri’s crossbar.

Soon after a Town corner was half-cleared, Saints skipper Atlanta Primus got herself in the way of Ashworth-Clifford’s drilled effort.

The Blues scorer was replaced by Ava Baker on 77 minutes, and she was immediately involved in the action when she came close to putting her side in front.

Baker was in the right place at the right time when the ball fell kindly in the box, but her shot was blocked behind for a corner by Bashford.

Town’s substitute would go even closer to winning it with the best chance of all in the final minute of regular time.

Graham fed Baker through down the left, but Amy Goddard threw herself in the way of the goalbound effort to keep the scores level as the game entered four minutes of stoppage time.

It was in the sixth minute of added time that the Blues would concede with the final kick of the game after Graham brought down Bashford on the edge of the penalty area.

Aimee Palmer’s free-kick deflected off Colette Cavanagh in the wall and cannoned off Kiera Sena, allowing substitute Brown to slam into the unguarded net from a yard out.

Town had largely shown plenty of promise after falling behind so early, with the Saints winner being celebrated emphatically by all players and coaching staff on the touchline.

Pompey’s defeat means the Blues remain off the foot of the table, with Wright’s side next in action away to promotion-chasing Crystal Palace on Easter Sunday.

Town (4-2-3-1): Negri; Boswell (c), Peake, Weir, Roe; Mitchell, Cavanagh; Peskett, Graham, Ashworth-Clifford (Baker 77); Ademiluyi. Subs: Hartley, Hughes, Thomas, Dean, O’Brien, Las, Wearing, Meena, Baker. Booked: Graham, Mitchell.

Southampton (4-1-4-1): Stenson; Collett, Goddard, Bourne (Hack 46), Simpson (Mott 46); Palmer; Ferguson (Edwards 68), Bashford, McAlonie (Brown 89), McGowan (Sena 83); Primus (c). Subs: Pettit, Roberts. Referee: Aimee Keir. Attendance: 9,142.

Photo: ITFC