Dan McNamara was overjoyed with his team’s performance against Cheltenham Town Ladies in the fourth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, which resulted in a 2-0 victory for the Old Gold and progression into the last 16 of the competition.
Two tremendous goals from Amber Hughes and Beth Merrick sent Wolves into the fifth round where holders Manchester United await and McNamara spoke on the next few league games and how proud he is of his team.
On the performance
“I think there has been an expectation surrounding this, and we have got to move away from that.
“I think if we put into context what the girls have just done there, forget who the opposition is, they’ve got themselves into the last 16 of the FA Cup again for the second year running.
“I just said that to them, please get on the bus and feel proud for what you have just done because there’s not many tier three players that will get to the fifth round never mind doing it two years consecutively.
“They were tremendous today and we knew it would be tough. We were proven that it was tough last time we came down here in the cup.
“They’re hard to break down and they play on this pitch really well, it’s tight and you can’t move the ball as quick as you’d want to on the astroturf, but they play it fantastically well and after the first half should probably be one nil up and leading the game, but we stuck at it and we battled well.
“We did the hard things that we probably didn’t see against West Brom and effectively that’s why the girls have got their result today.
“You give Amber (Hughes) and Beth Merrick moments, and they’ll come up with unbelievable goals like they did so, overall, really pleased but I think we all need to take credit and be proud of what the girls have done today.”
On the goal scorers
“We played a game last weekend behind closed doors and Amber (Hughes) was fantastic again, she came back from the calf injury really sharply and that’s credit to Christos, Nathan and the medical department to get her back as quick as they have.
“We knew the turn of the year was going to be important, with three big games in January, this was the first one. We obviously want our best players on the pitch and Amber is one of them.
“She’s one of the best players in the league for me. It’s fantastic for her.
“After Beth Merrick’s free kick, we talked about whether it was time to make a change, but I just felt that she had a big moment in her, as Beth Merrick does, for her to then go and score that goal sums her up.
“She loves the FA Cup, and I know that would’ve meant a lot to her in front of her family so overall, I’m really pleased.”
On Stourbridge away next weekend
“We’ve got two big games coming up now so we’ve got to park this, and it’ll be exciting for the girls and I’m sure there will be an excited feel throughout the group, but we have to make sure we’re ready for Stourbridge next week and closely following after is Derby.
“We want to make sure we are pushing on in the league. We’ve done really well so far, to be halfway in and be within a point of the expected winners of the league is remarkable so we’ve got to make sure that we’re ready.
“Stourbridge will be a tough ask; they’ve made some good signings over the last few weeks.
“We’ve got to make sure we give them full respect as we always do and I’m sure the girls will be ready to hit whatever comes out of Stourbridge next weekend.”
By Scarlett Lester
