LFC Women'We need a point to be champions - but we want another win'

I was really pleased with the girls on Sunday and it was a good team performance.

Durham are a good side but I thought we were excellent and controlled the game from start to finish.

I know we had a little spell for 10 to 15 minutes in the first half when it was a bit too transitional, but with what was at stake it was an important win and I was really proud of the performance.

Megan Campbell did well for us and her throw-ins were just undefendable!

You look at the flight of it for starters and the pace it comes in at - and then we’ve got Katie Stengel, Yana Daniels and Rachel Furness who are all good in the air.

It’s difficult for teams to defend against that and it was a big part of our game against Durham.

Katie has now scored six goals since we brought her into the club in January and that is very pleasing.

We had a little period before Christmas when Leanne Kiernan was injured and Rianna Dean was also out so we were a little bit light up-front.

I had worked with Katie before and I knew what a good finisher she is. This is the best shape I’ve seen her in personally and she’s not only been a great addition to the squad with her talent but also with her personality.

Katie is a lovely person that has come into a great group of people and I’m really pleased with how she has settled in.

I want to give a special mention to Furney, who was excellent against Durham.

I was thinking about her in our team huddle at the end because she has got that smile on her face all the time and it’s just great to see. She deserved the two goals and all the accolades she got.

On Sunday we travel to Bristol City knowing we need a point to secure what our main objective was this season: promotion back to the Women’s Super League.

I have to say Bristol City have been fantastic this season and Lauren Smith has done a fantastic job.

I loved my time there but I am Liverpool FC Women’s manager now and we will concentrate on ourselves like we always do.

We will do as much as we can to try to win the game and get everything wrapped up.

We certainly won’t be going into this game just looking for a draw to get the point we need. That’s not our style as we go into every game looking to get the three points.

I said after Christmas that once we got ourselves in that position where we won those six games on the bounce in January and February, we are in the position that everyone else wants to be in.

There is no room for error from other sides although I did feel Bristol City were unlucky against Sheffield United, especially in the first half.

From my perspective we are proud of our defensive record so far and we want to maintain that, and we are proud of what we’ve been doing at the other end of the pitch.

At the end of the day, that is the difference and why we’ve been on the run that we’ve been on.

Our goalkeeper Lawsy [Rachael Laws] has been fantastic and kept 13 clean sheets, which is unbelievable.

We have only conceded six goals in the league all season and lost once, which was on the opening day to London City Lionesses.

We know we will have our amazing supporters with us - as always - down in Bristol and they have been unbelievable for us this season.

I say it every column but honestly our support is excellent week in, week out, and I’m just so happy for them that they can have smiles on their faces as well.

Thanks so much for your support as always.

YNWA,

Matt

Matt Beard was speaking to Liverpoolfc.com’s Steve Hunter