Wolves Women manager Dan McNamara was ‘delighted’ with Sunday’s win over Stoke City.
Wolves beat the Potters 3-0 at the SEAH Stadium on Sunday afternoon to go level on points with Nottingham Forest at the summit. Anna Morphet scored a first-half brace with two set-pieces goals, before Amber Hughes put the game to bed with a goal five minutes from time. McNamara touched on the good performance, Morphet’s brace, and the run-in his side faces with only five games remaining.
On the performance
“I’m delighted, it's been a long time since we’ve beat Stoke, it's been a couple of seasons, they've done well over the last few seasons. We knew today was a potential banana skin, their record speaks for themselves, they've won something like 17 out of their last 19 games before today.
“So, it's a massive result for us. I think we showed a different side to what we did last week. Last week it was about heart and desire, whereas this week was about the fundamentals of football, winning the first and second contacts, the ugly part of it.
“Compared to the first half where the wind is howling and you get the goals, then in the second half you have to defend for your lives.
“I thought we actually played better football in the second half, obviously then Amber Hughes gets half a chance and puts the game to bed. A great result against a very tough opposition who are proving they are well worthy of being part of this title race.”
On Morphet’s brace
“She ran over the pitch to me, and I said just make the keeper work, make her save it. For the first one, that's what happens in the wind. I felt bad for the goalkeeper because the wind was horrendous in that first half.
“Getting that breakthrough early was good for us, it settled us down. People always say to play with the wind, but it’s hard when balls are running out of play and throw-ins are going out.
“Overall, it was about getting through today, the journey goes on and we keep grinding out results. We get a week off, the girls will have a week off because it's been a grueling, hard few months so they deserve some time away, not listening to me.
“Fantastic from every player, right through to the staff, I thought all of the staff got it spot on again today. We sit and watch, we analyse with Lee and Josh, they put everything they can into the game preparation, so they deserve massive credit as well.”
On the run-in
“We've got five games left and we're still in it, it's incredible, I say it every week, it must be boring for the fans to hear at this point, but it's not boring for us.
“Five games to go and very much in it, I think that takes us level with Forest now, albeit their better goal difference, but anything can happen.
“It's tough to get over the line, we know because we did it a few years ago, it's hard as every game goes by to get over the line when the pressure starts building,
“I say to the girls, we're expected to do nothing, so we keep enjoying it and get the points when we can, and see where we end up come the end of April.”
