Southampton halted their seven-match losing run in Slazenger National League South with a long overdue 3-2 win over Wimbledon at the Sports Centre.
Coming on the back of the previous day's single-goal defeat at fellow strugglers Bournemouth, it was a vital match for the city girls to win.
"It just underlined the standard we are capable of playing to and is a positive sign that things are coming together," said coach Roger Merry, whose Southampton squad was hit by a mass pre-season player exodus.
Southampton rolled their sleeves up from the start and got a sixth-minute penalty stroke, which Nic Berry converted.
Wimbledon, relegated from national Division 1 last term, tucked away two penalty corners either side of half-time through Jesica Cremin and Sam Hill to forge 2-1 ahead.
But Southampton had no intention of suffering an eighth successive loss and equalised with a close range Amie Harding goal.
Eight minutes from time Lucille Johnson grabbed Southampton's winner, tucking away a penalty corner.
Trojans, meanwhile, lost vital ground in the Division 1 promotion race when losing 2-0 to Clifton at Stoneham Lane.
But a first goal of the season by Caroline Thorne has put Trojans II top of South League Division 3B, courtesy of a 1-0 win at Yateley.
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