Emery targets promotion with SSFC Women

“If the second half of the season is as good as the first, I’ll be very excited,” says South Shields Women’s midfield maestro Becca Emery.

Although the Mariners haven’t played any games since mid-November, they enter the winter break unbeaten and third in the league, with the best attacking and defensive records. 

Emery joined the lasses from Consett in the summer where she was reunited with head coach Matt Gatiss, after gaining promotion from the seventh tier last season. 

A winning team is a happy team, and she has found no issues with regards to settling in.

“The girls have been very welcoming since the moment I arrived for my first training session,” she said.

“Everyone is always very good craic and overall very supportive of each other; it’s very different to any other team I've been a part of.

“I feel like everyone has gelled very well and I think that certainly helps on the pitch to get the results we have been getting, helping us keep our unbeaten league run.”

All of the hard work being put in behind the scenes by Gatiss and the coaching staff is really starting to show, with an exceptionally strong record in the league already being made clear. 

The pair get on well, and that existing familiarity helped her to hit the ground running - she netted a debut goal in September against Hull United in a routine 4-0 away win. 

She added: “It was completely unexpected to be asked to come to Shields but definitely flattering for sure.

“I worked with Matt for two and a bit years at Consett and he helped introduce me to playing women's football, which is obviously a huge step up after only playing junior football. 

“Matt (and Dan Gourley) always have intense drills planned for training that complement the way we want to play on a Sunday and I think that is obvious again with the results. 

“This was a big draw for me as training is obviously a big part of football. 

“Matt and I get on well on and off the pitch and I like his management style, which helped my decision a lot.”

The next few weeks are the calm before the storm, which will see the lasses play their remaining 14 league fixtures in a bid to secure National League promotion for the first time.

“If the second half of the season is as good as the first, I'll be very excited,” she continued.

“Promotion is obviously a big aim now that we have been knocked out of the County Cup and the FA Cup, meaning there will be fewer distractions.

“Keeping our unbeaten run for as long as possible will keep building confidence as we get closer to the ending stages of the league.”

Gatiss himself was full of praise for Emery, insisting she has a bright future ahead of her.

“Becca is a player with huge potential in the game,” he said, “and seeing how much she came on during my time at Consett made her one of my first targets when I made the move across. 

“It was no doubt a step up, especially having been at Consett throughout her youth development, but Becca is always keen to learn and she will achieve big things in football in the next few years with the support of some of our more senior and experienced players and our coaching staff.

“Her versatility has always set her apart, and she is constantly pushing herself to understand what we need from a player in her role and I am looking forward to her getting more opportunities over the second half of the season in what will be an intense series of games.”