Bedford keen to build on momentum of maiden victory

LYDIA Bedford is confident Leicester City Women can build on their first Super League win of the season when they travel to face Reading tomorrow, writes Bella Butler of Sportsbeat.

The new Leicester boss has been impressed with her squad’s work ethic since their return from a festive break and is hoping to back up their maiden win of the campaign, which came at home to Birmingham before Christmas.

The Foxes currently sit 11th in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League table, ten points behind eighthplaced Reading – but Bedford’s influence on the team is increasingly clear since replacing Jonathan Morgan in November.

She said: “The physical department [staff] have put a great plan in place for the girls.

“They had the week off before Christmas so I’m really confident that, while they were still riding the wave of elation from the Birmingham result, they had some things to do in their own time and we were able to track that, so that was brilliant.

“I’m really pleased with the group and confident that we’re going in the right direction.

“We came back in pretty quickly after Christmas and we’ve had a few sessions under our belt from that, so in that perspective, I’m pleased with where they are physically.”

While Kirstie Levell, Hannah

Cain, Lachante

Paul and Connie Scofield remain out of action with injuries, Bedford, below, is not worried about the absence of players and impact of Covid on the weekend’s fixture as she now hopes to build momentum for the rest of the season. Speaking at a virtual press conference yesterday, she said: “Quite similar to other clubs, Covid is having an impact on our availability of players, but our game is going ahead this weekend and we’re ready for it. “There’s no further injuries added at this moment in time, and we’ve only got a few players that would be unavailable this weekend due to their return to play from Covid.

“So, all in all, we’ve still got a strong squad ready to move into the weekend.

“But I think like every team, the break and people going home over Christmas has obviously put the squad at a greater risk than if we’d have stayed in training for two weeks.

“We’ve got what we need for the weekend, but we have got a few players who will be missing due to Covid at this stage, so fingers crossed that doesn’t change.”

Meanwhile, Leicester City have signed Aston Villa winger Freya Gregory and forward Missy Goodwin until the end of the season.

The 18-year-olds represented England at youth level and came through Villa’s academy system.

Gregory, who joins on loan, has made six appearances for Villa this season and scored in last season’s derby draw with Birmingham City.

“I’m buzzing, just to get playing, doing what I know I can do and prove myself in the league,” she said. “It’s an ambitious club and I’m excited to join.”

Goodwin, who made her senior debut for Villa on November 17 in the League Cup, said: “It’s a great environment and the facilities speak for themselves.

“It’s a club that has got great ambitions and the process that they have been through so far just to get into WSL is fantastic and it’s something that I couldn’t wait to join.”

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