Durham midfielder Beth Hepple says that it is important for her to take her pre-season goalscoring form into the new season.
The number seven netted two goals as The Wildcats defeated FA Women’s National League North Division One club Newcastle United 8-0 in their final pre-season friendly at Maiden Castle this afternoon.
Hepple was Durham’s top scorer in last season’s FA Women’s Championship with 10 goals. The player says that it is important that she takes the goalscoring form shown against Newcastle United into the new campaign as she looks to again provide Durham with a regular source of goals in the second tier.
“It is important;” Hepple said when speaking to FAWSL Full-Time about transferring her goalscoring form against Newcastle United into the new campaign. “I don’t really think about it very much (her own goal tally), I just want the team to win at the end of the day and if I can help contribute, that’s great. If the strikers are scoring, that’s even better.
“I am delighted to get on the scoresheet and hopefully, that momentum carries into next week.”
Durham are not known for having a prolific goalscorer in their ranks and Hepple says that every player has a part to play when it comes to chipping in with goals.
She added “Over the years, I don’t think we have had that natural out-and-out goalscorer that has carried the team and we have all kind of contributed. That will continue this year and hopefully, everybody can contribute.
“We are very strong on set pieces so hopefully, the defenders can chip in as well.”
Durham eased their way beyond a Newcastle United side who were previously unbeaten throughout pre-season and in their opening game in FA Women’s National League North Division One. Hepple was pleased to see the hard work that her team have put in on the training pitch in recent weeks come to fruition.
“Newcastle have already started their league campaign so they were going to be flying;” said the midfielder. “Newcastle set up a good defensive block and it was a good test for us.
“It really came out what we have been working on in the past few weeks on the training pitch and to get eight goals was really positive.”
Durham begin the new FA Women’s Championship season at home to Watford next Sunday.
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