LFC Women'Scoring for Liverpool is amazing but it was a team effort'
Rachel Furness paid tribute to her teammates after scoring twice in Liverpool FC Women’s 3-0 win over Durham FC Women.
Sunday's victory at Prenton Park - coupled with Bristol City Women’s 1-0 loss to Sheffield United Women on Saturday - saw Matt Beard’s side strengthen their lead at the top of the FA Women’s Championship to 11 points.
The Reds now need just one point from this weekend's trip to Bristol City to seal the title and promotion back to the Women’s Super League.
“Despite seeing Bristol City lose on Saturday we just tried to do what we have done all season and focus on ourselves,” Furness, who has now netted six times this season, told Liverpoolfc.com.
“We know how good a side Durham are and we knew we had to bring our A-game out and execute our game plan.
“I think from the first minute we really showed ourselves, got the goals and it was a convincing win in the end.
“It’s an amazing feeling scoring for Liverpool but it was a team effort, a squad effort, and all that mattered was the three points.
“It’s brilliant to get on the scoresheet, but any of the girls could have scored the first one as it just meant so much to us.
“It settled us down getting the early goal and we could play our own game and not get too nervous.
“Yes, I’m happy to contribute but I’d just be as pleased if anyone else had scored.”
Durham found it hard to compete with the long throw-ins of Megan Campbell and one of them led to a goal from Katie Stengel.
“It’s a bullet!” Furness said of Campbell’s throw-in.
“I think one in the second half nearly went straight in and I was glad their goalkeeper saved it because we got a corner out of it.
“It’s a real weapon, it’s something we work on during the week and set-plays are massive for us because we’ve got that aerial threat.”
On Sunday afternoon, Liverpool face a crucial contest with second-placed Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
And, despite knowing they only require a draw to achieve their aim, Furness insists she and her teammates will be as determined as ever to get another three points.
“The pressure is on the teams under us trying to catch us,” the Northern Ireland international added.
“We took the pressure off ourselves by winning against Durham and we will just go out to enjoy it, do what we’ve been doing all season and try and get the win.
“We know a point will be enough, but we will be as focused as we are every week in training and looking to get the three points - which is what we want to do in every game we play.”
With just three games remaining, Beard’s side are on an 18-match unbeaten run in the league.
Their only defeat came on the opening day of the campaign when London City Lionesses won 1-0 at Prenton Park.
The Reds have only conceded six goals in the Championship and goalkeeper Rachael Laws has already broken her own clean-sheet record in a season with 13 shutouts.
Furness continued: “We’ve worked very hard all season to get into this position.
“What I think we’ve done so well this season is we’ve stayed grounded, we’ve not got carried away with ourselves and every game is as big as the next.
“Yes, this weekend is a massive game but we’ll be going into it with the same mentality that we’ve had all season.”