Club news

Merricks Keen To Maintain Winning Form

By Alex Stedman • 09 May 2018

Brighton & Hove Albion women’s first team assistant manager Amy Merricks stressed the importance of taking the WSL2 season one game at a time, as the Seagulls travel to face Watford this evening (7pm). 

Another three points tonight would make it eight wins from nine matches for Merricks, Hope Powell and the side, and the former stressed the importance of taking the league schedule one week at a time at this latter stage of the campaign.

She said, “We’re on a good run at the moment and the important thing for us is to keep taking it game by game.

“We’re really focused on our performances and we’re also keen to improve every aspect of those each time we go. 

“I think the girls know how important it is to focus on the finer details and always be looking ahead to the next challenge.”

The side are also in search of a fourth win in a row, and Merricks discussed the demands of facing the same opposition in such quick succession. 

“It’s a fast turnaround from the weekend, and it’s actually quite difficult to play the same team within a certain number of days like we are this week.

“I’m sure both teams will be reviewing Sunday and trying to fix mistakes at both ends.

“It’s been a really busy couple of days for us - I thought we played well on Sunday in the victory and we had some really good phases of play. 

“We can be tidier at times and the girls know that, but I thought we created a lot of opportunities and I thought we dealt with their pressure in the second half.”

The side sit four points behind league leaders Doncaster Rovers Belles, a side whom they beat 1-0 at the Checkatrade Stadium back on the 22nd April.

That was the Yorkshire side’s first defeat of the campaign, and Merricks emphasised that those types of performances need to be replicated between now and the season’s end.

“It will help the team to know that there’s still a chance of winning the league and it’s nice to be able to still be playing for a target that can be reached. 

“I think everybody wants to make sure we’re doing as well as we can both individually and as a collective, especially towards the end of the campaign. 

“It’s nice to be at the right end of the league and it’s vital that we keep putting in good performances so that we can head into next season and our WSL 1 campaign in the best way possible.”