Gilliatt double has Ewe Rams on a six-win roll

DERBY County Women face a third game in a week tomorrow when they take on Barnsley in an FA Women’s National League Cup tie – but manager Sam Griffiths believes her whole squad is capable of continuing the fine form that has seen Ewe Rams win six games on the bounce.

They followed up last Sunday’s superb 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground with a 3-0 win away to Loughborough Lightning on Thursday night which moved them up to second place.

“Everyone in this squad has the potential to be playing regular games for us, this is why they are part of a squad and we have faith that when we need to change things up either through injury or rest, those coming in can put their hands up and compete to start,” said Griffiths.

“We’ve had a heavy run of games in recent weeks and once Sunday is over we can rest up for a week with no game scheduled until the back end of the month.

“We had an opportunity to rest a few from last weekend on Thursday and we’ll look to keep things fresh on Sunday too.

“The danger is that it can work both ways, particularly when on a good run, that changing things up can take away the momentum, but also not keeping things fresh can bring tired legs.

“We can get that balance right, we think, and we’ll go into Barnsley looking to extend that momentum.”

On Thursday, in-form striker Ellie Gilliatt scored twice in two first-half minutes to take her tally to 10 in the last five games and 11 overall, while Megan Tinsley scored with a free kick, also in the first half, while the defence made it four straight clean sheets.

“What’s pleasing from a results point of view for me is that at no stage have we yet got into full flight over the whole game,” said Griffiths.

“We have more and more spells each week where we are really taking it to teams and we are really growing into the season. It’s only a matter of time before a team gets us at our very best.

“Ellie will rightly get the plaudits and she is such an asset but without the defence, who are now on a fourgame run without conceding, a midfield that astound me with their energy, as well as a bench that want to take their chances when offered, it makes for a happy place for us to be and now our job is to give the squad the opportunity to carry on that momentum.”