Bonner on a sweet derby victory and Reading challenge

It was a great feeling to win the Merseyside derby last weekend as we had to work hard to get the victory against a very well organised Everton team. Going into the game the main aim for us was to get to the next round of the Continental Tyres Cup. We knew they were going to make it difficult for us and do everything they could to disrupt our game plan, and fair play to them they did that to a certain extent. It was a battle but I felt as though we deserved to come away with the win and progress through to the quarter-finals.

It was probably fitting the creator of our goal was Alex Greenwood who was absolutely outstanding both defensively and offensively. Alex has been a great signing, she gives a lot going forward as well as being a top class defender. It was a big day for Alex playing against her former club but we were all delighted to get into the next round. For myself and the defenders keeping a clean sheet was a big boost. In the early part of the season we were struggling to keep a clean sheet, but we have tightened up now, we had adapted one or two things and we haven’t conceded as many goals. In recent games I have been playing alongside Sophie Ingle at centre-half and it is a partnership that is working really well. I have known Sophie for quite a long time now and I actually played alongside her in defence during our days at Chelsea. We know each other quite well as players and we have a good understanding, and hopefully that is showing on the pitch.

We now face Birmingham City Ladies away in the quarter-finals of the Continental Cup after the draw was made, in a tie that will take place on either August 6/7. Any draw once you get to the quarter-finals is going to be tough and we certainly won’t be underestimating Birmingham. They are probably in transition this year with a big turnover of players but they have signed a lot of quality players during the break. We beat them in the Women’s Super League earlier this season at home but I think this will be a completely different game. It’s always a tough place to go to and we are expecting a difficult test.

On Saturday evening we return to Women’s Super League action when we host Reading FC Women at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes. Reading are newly promoted to the WSL 1 this season and I have to say I have been impressed with them so far. They have also made some new signings during the break so we are expecting another tough and tight game. For us we just want to put in another good performance in front of our fantastic supporters and reward them with another three points. If we play like we know we can then I am confident that we can come out with a positive result. We certainly have a lot of confidence at the minute especially after two well deserved draws against Manchester City Women. For us as a group, the recent results didn’t really confirm anything new to us and just confirmed what we already knew. It was probably more to the other teams because I don’t think nobody expected us to go to City away and be the first team to score against them this season. I have said right from the start that the potential this squad has is frightening. That belief has always been there and we knew it was going to take time but maybe the rest of the league now knows we can be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Thanks as always for your support

Gemma

Kick-off at the Select Security Stadium tonight is at 5.30pm BST.