Women's football news
Written by: Jack
Scott Booth’s side welcome Blackburn Rovers to the Dripping Pan this Sunday in the penultimate home game of the season!
The Rooks were held at home by a fighting Coventry United the last we played at The Pan in a frustrating game which saw us only a grab a point.
Reflecting on that game Booth shared: “We didn’t play well enough, I know that Coventry was fighting for their existence in the Championship, I still felt that we were the better team, but we sort of just failed to take chances, and have any sort of consistency in the game.
“We didn’t look to play as much football as we want to, and the game became transitional and that was down to the fact that I feel like we did not have enough quality on the day. Overall, it was good to get a good a point, but we obviously want them to be three points, so in that respect we didn’t get what we wanted.
“We started the game really well, we scored a fantastic goal, really good play and we started the way I wanted us to play the whole game but for some reason after the goal we just didn’t hit them standards anymore throughout the game.
“Obviously the more the first half went on I felt that we deteriorated more and more in that first half and then almost gave them a goal to go into at half time and that gave us a tougher job to do in the second half. But we are better than that so I’m hoping this weekend we come out with a different mentality about the game and a different performance.”
In the game against Coventry United, Booth brought on all 5 substitutes at once, something you don’t see too often.
“I felt that we weren’t getting on the pitch and the players that were on the bench, the ones that I could bring on, up to five of them, I would have brought more on if I could, but them 5 players deserved a chance to go out and maybe make things better, but it didn’t really materialise.
“There were some tired legs, it was the third game in week but if you want a challenge and want to be a team looking to get up the table as far as you can, you’ve got to be able to handle them weeks when you have three games, and our squad is big enough to do that.”
This week saw some of The Rooks who took part in the international break return back to training.
Sophie Whitehouse earned her first call-up to the Ireland squad, as well as Ellie Mason and Rebecca Mckenna getting called up for the Northern Ireland squad. There were also youth call-ups for Charlotte Wardlaw (England U23s), Grace Palmer (England U19s) and Kenzie Weir (Scotland U19s).
“We only have had Sophie missing this week, so we have managed to train. Charlotte, Grace, Rebecca, and Ellie have all returned to training, so we are ok there.
“It is a bit challenging with international break sometimes with players being away and only getting a day or two to train with them before the Sunday match, but it is part and parcel with it”.
Lastly, looking ahead at this Sunday opponents Scott shared his thoughts on Blackburn Rovers:
“I think they are a good side, little unpredictable at times, but they have the ability to hurt any opposition, they have good front players, quick wide players, quick full backs and a real presence aerially on the pitch and got some experienced professionals and I think I expect them to come and play an open game and look to try and win the game.
“I think from our side we just need to make sure that our standards are better than what they were last time round against Coventry, and hopefully keep that momentum and consistency from our performance of the first half of the Coventry game and continually through the match.”