HOLMES: CHELSEA ROUT WON’T GET US DOWN
SUNDERLAND DEFENDER LOOKING FOR BIG RESPONSE IN WINNABLE GAME AT YEOVIL
Abby Holmes insists Sunderland Ladies must draw a line under their Chelsea blues and prepare for a big WSL1 Spring Series trip to Yeovil.
After beginnning the rapid-fire top-flight series with three clean sheets, the Lady Black Cats have conceded 11 goals in the last two games.
Sunderland were torn to shreds 7-0 on Sunday by title-chasing Chelsea at Hetton but Holmes says there can be no hangover.
Yeovil prop up the division after six straight defeats and a win for the seventhplaced Black Cats could move them up into mid-table.
“We need to draw a line under it, it’s gone,” said Holmes, who was excellent against the Londoners. We must go again for Yeovil.
“We have three games in a week coming up and we have to be positive and try to get some points, starting against Yeovil.
“Three clean sheets in our first three games was a great way to start the season but I feel we could have done better at Liverpool and against Chelsea.
“We’ll go again on Sunday and look forward to it.”
Sunderland won at Yeovil 12 months ago, beating the then WSL2 side in the FA Cup.
The Glovers have since won promotion to the top flight though they have found the transition tough.
Despite that, Holmes says nothing at all can be taken for granted on Sunday.
“We did win there before in the FA Cup,” said the right-back. “But it’s 11 v 11 on the day, it’s about who turns up best.
“We have to be positive, confident, and hopefully come away with the three points.”
The visit to Fairfax Park kicks off a busy week with Melanie Reay’s team hosting champions Man City next Wednesday and Reading a week tomorrow.
Despite, the last two defeats, to high calibre sides, the Spring Series has been an encouraging competition for the Lady Black Cats.
Chelsea played some of the best football seen in a ladies match at the Eppleton CW ground, but Holmes said there was a mix of awe and disappointment about the game.
“They have world-class players who are all full-time professionals,” said the nonnonsense defender. We are part and full-time but we worked really hard and performed better in the second half.
“We maybe could have got at them more and not given them as much respect, but, like I say, they are world-class players.”