Lewes midfielder Caragh Hamilton says that more players need to play on the front-foot as the club aim to climb off the bottom of the Barclays Women’s Championship table.
The Rooks were heavily beaten 4-1 by Southampton on opening day. Lewes stepped up their performance against Durham last weekend but they slipped to a 2-0 loss and remain bottom of the table.
One positive for Lewes in the opening two games has been midfielder Hollie Olding’s willingness to shoot. The player has shown a keen eye for goal, taking shots from long range at every opportunity. Her eagerness to shoot was rewarded on opening day when she netted with a stunning long range effort against Southampton.
When speaking to FAWSL Full-Time, Lewes midfielder Hamilton said that the team need more players to follow Olding’s example. She said that The Rooks can benefit from playing on the front-foot and taking one or two risks.
“We need more players that play on the front-foot and back themselves,” Hamilton said. “You’ve got to be confident and create opportunities.
“Sometimes, it is not going for you but you can’t hide in any games in this league. You have to play on the front-foot, be willing to maybe fail and make mistakes. The odd time they are going to go in so you’ve got to keep trying.
“We need more of that. Even when we are down, we need to continue to push and continue to back ourselves.”
Lewes held Durham for 81 minutes before conceding two late goals. Hamilton acknowledged the team’s improved performance in the North East but ultimately, the next step is competing for a full 90 minutes.
She said “The performance against Durham was a step up from the previous week. Against Southampton, it was probably a good half-hour, maybe 45 minutes and at Durham, we pushed on and it was maybe a good 70 minutes or more.
“Good for 70 minutes doesn’t cut it in this league no matter who the opposition is, whether they are near the top of the league or the bottom. Every team has quality players, every team is in the game until the final whistle.
“It was better (against Durham) but it is still not where we need to be to get results out of this league yet.”
Lewes will be looking to come off the bottom of the Barclays Women’s Championship table when Birmingham City are the visitors to The Dripping Pan on Sunday afternoon.