Everton Ladies Cup Progression Pleases manager Andy Spence

Cup Progression Pleases Spence

Ladies boss Andy Spence was pleased with the goalscoring manner in which Everton kicked off their season but added there is still work to be done.

The Blue Girls ran in eight goals in their FA Women’s Cup tie at Brighouse Town to reach the fourth round, with Claudia Walker netting a hat-trick, Olivia Chance and Simone Magill respective braces and Michelle Hinnigan also finding the net.

Spence admitted that a adding goals to the side has been a priority after the disappointment of last season, so was happy to begin the season in such emphatic style.

“Some of our play and some of the goals was very encouraging, and reflected the work that we are trying to have the players do,” he told evertonfc.com. “We haven’t had too many friendlies leading into the game so it was going to be tough in the sense of 90 minutes of competitive football.

“We felt that one element – not the only one – from last season was to get more goals into the team. We have scored eight and that is pleasing. There is a danger that when you have a commanding lead at half time, which we did, that you go on and not turn the possession that you have into further goals.

“But after a 20-minute spell where we were poor, we finished the game well and scored a couple more. We had some good contributions off the bench as well which is also pleasing.

“Having Claudia, Simone, Michelle and Olivia on the scoresheet is great and I am sure they will all be delighted with that.”

However, Spence insists his side will need to continue their hard work if they are to be successful in 2017.

Brighouse never gave up in the tie, and struck back early in the second half to reduce the arrears to 4-1. Although they never looked like mounting a comeback, the Toffees boss saw areas where his side can still improve.

“I expected our performance to vary within the game but I felt that variation was far too great at times,” he added. “So there is mixed emotions over the performance. Some great play but there were spells, particularly in the second half, where we were poor in possession, off the ball and we didn’t compete.

“Suddenly they got the goal, a brilliant strike, but it has come from our possession, like many of the chances they managed to create.

“It’s very early on for us, of course, and its our first competitive game of the season, and we know that those moments need to be cut out of our game of we are going to be competing properly.”

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