South Shields Women’s newest arrival Olivia Mole says playing at 1st Cloud Arena for the first time was a “great experience” for her.
Mole played for 80 minutes in the game against Hull United Women, and she even grabbed an assist for Eve Gatens’ sensational strike from range, which was the team’s third of the afternoon.
It wasn’t plain-sailing, however, and Mole believes Lois Damms’ opener for the visitors proved a pivotal moment in the context of the match.
“I think the moment we conceded that first goal we all knew as a team that we weren’t going to get beat,” she said.
“We all pushed and came together and managed to equalise just before half time which couldn’t have happened at a better time.”
Things started to “click” in her view, as Shields ramped up the pressure and inflicted three more goals on the visitors in the second half.
She added: “In the first half we all agreed that we played some good football but we didn’t take the chances we had as we had most of the possession throughout the half.
“In the second half this all began to click as we pushed up the field in numbers.”
Sophie Curle and Eve Gatens stood out, as they tend to do, and their finishes bolstered Shields’ goal difference - now the best in the league - as well as their own scoring records.
Curle has netted 11 goals now in just six appearances since joining the Mariners, and Gatens has now scored 14 in all competitions this season.
All of this, as well as the number of fans in attendance to cheer the team on, contributed to Mole’s overall assessment that today was, all round, a “great experience.”
“1st Cloud was a great experience and to get the result we did made it even better!” she exclaimed.
Next up for the lasses is Spennymoor Town Ladies (Mole’s former club) this Sunday at home.
Last time the teams met, Shields lost 8-2 following a bitterly disappointing display, but she insists everybody is “determined” not to let that happen again.
Mole continued: “I think we can all still remember what happened against Spennymoor only a few weeks ago and that’s something we are not going to forget.
“We are all determined to make sure that does not happen again and hopefully push for a result in our favour this time.
“There isn’t long of the season left and I think we all want to push to a strong finish.”
Just five games remain this season and the promotion fight in the NERWFL Premier Division could go all the way.
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Image credit: Craig McNair (ideventphoto)