With this being our first season in charge of the ladies side, I think myself and Jamie Woodford have adapted well, after both of us either being involved on the playing side or managing men's football. In addition, the Ladies have had to find about our style of management and find our way around women's football making all the necessary contact.
Pre season didn't go well, with only 2 games being played, with the first away to Crawley where we won 2-1 ,but at a cost ,we picked up several injuries in that match. This affected the rest of pre-season, due to injuries and holidays we only managed to get one more friendly in against Bisley where we lost 4-1, even though it was a good work out for the squad.
Our first league game was always going to be hard against a much-fancied Slough team. This was a great battle and the game could have gone to either team, but a lack of concentration by the Shots let Slough take the game 1-0. I still think at this stage the ladies were getting used to playing as a team. We brushed aside Abbey Rangers 6-0 in the FA Cup and should really have been a lot more.
Back to the league and we ground out a very good draw against an Oxford City side that were relegated last season. Again, we received a couple of injuries. In the next round of the FA Cup we lost 6-1 at home to Horley. I was very disappointed with this result and thought we could have done a lot better, but we where still in the learning stage. After re-grouping at training and changing tactics, we finally got it right against Reading Ladies at home, beating the Berkshire side 18-0.
From there we drew with Shanklin away in very bad conditions 2-2 and won against Southampton at home 5-0. We played Wycombe at home and again in a gritty match it went to Wycombe by a goal to nil. The following week we put that right with a 6-2 home win over Oxford United.
In the Hampshire cup, we went to league leaders' Riverside Strikers and at 90 minutes, it was 0-0, but Riverside scored three goals in extra time. Again we beat Reading Ladies in the league 12-0 in the league to be sitting mid table.
After a terrible spate off injuries, we have nearly a fully fit squad to choose from - Laura Funnel is back in training and Penny Hull starts back in the new year and hopefully having Jo Donoghue back from a serious back injury, this will add depth to the squad and competition for places. There has been a great deal of work being put in behind the scences to push the Ladies and girls section forward. As for the ladies I have my own target what I want the team to achieve and time frame, I believe this season is a good foundation and we should finish high up in the league.