Sport
Southampton’s record-breaking unbeaten run is over but promotion fight goes on
On Tuesday night, Southampton lost away to Bristol City 3-1, ending their 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions – 22 in the league. Their undefeated run spanned 136 days and saw the Saints move from 15th in the Championship to 2nd, setting a new club-record along the way.
Ultimately, it was a poor performance from Russell Martin’s side that cost them on the night, as they saw passes go awry and created very little going forward. On the other hand, the Robins were flying; they had looked threatening all game, and in the second half they capitalised on their chances clinically, sinking the spirits of Saints players and fans alike.
But as much as the loss of the game and the streak hurts for the Red and White Army now, there is no doubt that this has revitalised the belief and love the fans have for the club. Coming off the back of the four losses prior to this run, a lot of Saints fans were doubting the manager and his tactics, with some even calling for the sack early on.
In almost any other season, they’d probably be outright leaders or runners-up by now
Martin implored with the supporters that it would take patience for his style of football to be implemented. And now, Southampton are playing the best style of football the South Coast has seen in years. Intricate passes, free-flowing sequences and some beautiful goals to match have all been on display throughout their unbeaten run. So, excluding this bump in the road, these tactics seem to be working for the players, and the supporters have finally understood Russell’s vision; the future looks so much brighter for all involved at the club.
But arguably the most important part of this streak has been the climb Southampton have made up the league table. Picking up points everywhere they went, be it through evenly-fought matches, emphatic victories or late ‘smash-and-grabs’, Southampton got back into the forefront of the promotion picture which they were expected to be in throughout the season.
Next up for Saints is a trip to the Hawthorns to face West Brom
And almost any other season, they’d probably be outright leaders or runners-up by now. However, with the abundance of quality in this fight for promotion, Leicester seem to have already run away with it, while Leeds and Ipswich are still both in contention for that coveted second automatic promotion spot.
So, where do Southampton go from here? Well currently, Leeds are in second, two points above the Saints, while Ipswich sit in fourth, four points behind Russell Martin’s side, with a game in hand. However, Saints have a game in hand on Leeds too, leaving the ball very much in Southampton’s court to gain an advantage over their promotion rivals. But right now, it seems that these three clubs and their fans have a nail-biting few months ahead.
Next up for Saints is a trip to the Hawthorns to face West Brom on Friday night. Russell Martin and his squad will want to bounce back as quickly as possible to avoid falling behind any further, but they have looked weaker away from home over this unbeaten streak, winning just 50% of their games on the road (W6, D6), compared to winning 92% of their games at home during their run (W12, D1). Additionally, the Baggies have the 3rd best home form in the league, making this look like a tough fixture for the Saints on paper.
Football
Meira Ashby seals dramatic comeback for Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers made a dramatic comeback with two goals from Meira Ashby, the second of which put her side ahead in the 63rd minute.
Winchester’s Chelsie Hay opened the scoring in the 16th minute and doubled the lead shortly after, giving the flayers a comfortable 2-0 lead and the hope of being able to equal in points with the opponents in the league table.
HT: Winchester City Flyers 2 – 0 Wycombe Wanderers
A first goal for the visiting team came in the 57th minute through Kayla Potter, giving the Wanderers a renewed belief in being able to win the game. Just minutes later, Meira Ashby struck twice, in the 61st and 63rd minutes, completing the turnaround and securing the comebackthat keeps the Wanderers comfortably at the top of the table.
FT: Winchester City Flyers 2 – 3 Wycombe Wanderers
The Winchester Flyers take the loss and remain behind Wycombe Wanderers in the league standings, meanwhilethe wanderers stay in first place for yet another week. The result adds pressure on Winchester to keep pace, while it further strengthens Wycombe’s position as title contenders.
Next up for Winchester is another home fixture, this time against Southampton Women’s FC
Waycombe Wanderers will face Abingdon United FC in their next match.
Both teams head into their upcoming fixtures with very different momentum. Winchester will be looking to regroup and be able to keep their first-half performance into the full 90 minutes, while Wycombe will aim to keep building on what they have been doing and maintain their place at the top of the table
Sport
Beyond the punches: The real basics of boxing for beginners
Boxing might look aggressive from the outside, making it easy to overlook the discipline, technique, and community that actually define the sport.
Walking into a boxing gym for the first time can feel intimidating, but most beginners are surprised by how structured and supportive the environment is.
At Winchester Boxing Club, head coach Filip Duda says the fundamental key of boxing for beginners is footwork, “get that right”, he explains, “then everything else comes quite naturally”. This is a reminder that the sport isn’t just about throwing punches, but about learning how to move, balance and stay in control.
For beginners, that means starting with the basics: understanding your stance, keeping your guard up, and building confidence through repetition.
Another coach at the club emphasised the importance of mastering the fundamentals not only physically but also mentally. “Understanding that you are not always going to win and that you most likely will lose your first fight”, she says, is just as important as the physical part of the sport.
Boxing is also often viewed as a male-dominated sport. Some of the women training in Winchester admitted that it is challenging at times to be in such a male-dominated sport; however, she said it has been amazing and empowering to join this sport.
While every boxer’s journey starts differently, the message across the club is the same: anyone is welcome to give the sport a try.
From building fitness to gaining confidence, boxing offers something valuable to everyone who walks through the door.
Sport
Squash finally secures its Olympic debut at LA 2028
The Olympics are the biggest sporting stage in the world, the place every athlete dreams of reaching one day.
For squash players, however, that dream has been out of reach.
That will finally change at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where Squash is set to make its long awaited Olympic debut as one of five sports added to this edition of the Games.
Squash was invented in England during the 19th century, and since then it has grown into a global sport, played in more than 180 countries.
Squash is a fast-paced racket sport played indoors in a four-walled court. Players rally a small rubber ball against the walls, using speed, precision and placement to make it as difficult as possible for their opponent to return the shot.
Despite its worldwide reach and its presence in other major multi-sport events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Pan American Games and the World Games, squash has never been part of the Olympic Games program. The closest it has been to appearing in the games before was at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, where it appeared as a demonstration sport.
Over the years, the sport has made several bids for inclusion; London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, but each attempt was unsuccessful. After decades of campaigning, the sport has finally earned a spot in the competition.
A key factor in squash’s inclusion can be attributed to the evolution of its facilities. The modern glass courts allow spectators to see the action of the game from every angle, making the sport more accessible for fans and broadcasters. These innovations have made squash a more television-friendly event, and this is one of the factors that helped it secure its spot on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
This Olympic recognition is expected to boost the popularity of the sport worldwide, increasing participation, investment in the sport and visibility, helping squash grow and establish itself as a major sport.
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