Talk can stop..

Although it isn't something we have really talked about as a team, all the talk of losing streaks can now stop! However much we strived to look forward and to concentrate on improving our individual and collective performances internally, externally people were obsessed with the fact The Lady Reds had not won since 2008. Thankfully that can now all stop, the losing streak can be put behind us and everyone can now join the players in looking forward and looking to what we can produce in the future!

As much as the girls were relieved at the end of the game, they were also dissapointed! In a sign of how far these girls have come, in the aftermath of the rain soaked game, they were honest enough to say that they were unhappy with the way they had played. The win was welcome of course, but the girls are focussed on improving their performances and against Perth we failed to show that improvement to the extent we wanted.

Too frequently we gave possession away cheaply and too often we rushed our final pass or simply made a wrong decision. Some of this can be put down to the pressure of the occassion and of course in the second half down to the state of the pitch but again the girls expect better of themselves - another real sign of how far they have come in such a short time and a real positive for the future!

The game started in windy conditions with The Lady reds on the front foot immediately, dominating possession and territory but just lacking the final ball to create clear cut scoring chances. Marijana Rajcic and Donna Cockayne went closest early on, the latter forcing a good save from the impressive Mackenzie Arnold in the Perth goal. our own keeper, Sian McLaren showed her value with a bright save at the feet of a Perth striker in a rare attacking moment for the visitors. As the rain fell and thunder clapped around Burton, the breakthrough finally came after some good work from Donna Cockayne, MJ and Leanne Slater provided Ashleigh Gunning with the opportunity to deliver a dangerous cross which found its way to Katherine Ebbs on the far post. Nipping in front of her defender Katherine steered the ball beyond Arnold and gave The Lady Reds the lead in the 33rd minute.

Going in at 1-0 was obviously a positive but the girls felt they should have been further ahead and needed to play with more composure and less 'fear' in the second half. Whilst that was the plan and was certainly the way the half started, the weather intervened.. With torrential rain leaving deep puddles around much of the field, the game became a bit of a lottery. When we got the ball into the attacking half we showed our quality, with Racheal Quigley creating a couple of good chances which were denied either by the woodwork, last ditch tackles or quality saves. During this spell two loud appeals for penalties for Adelaide were waved away, much to the despair of players and crowd alike.

With the weather and pitch conditions worsening, clearing the ball from the Adelaide end was becoming more and more difficult, which Perth tried to exploit by sending the ball forward as quickly as possible every time they regained possession. From one of this occassions Sian McLaren dealt superbly with a dangerous cross and when she was finally beaten, captain Abby Erceg was on hand to slide through the growing puddles to thwart a Perth player as it looked certain she would grab the equaliser.

When the final whistle came the delight on the players faces was evident and they celebrated together and with the fantastic support who braved the horrible weather to cheer on the side. The drums, chants and flags were a constant encouragement for the team and very much appreciated - BIG THANKS TO THE RED TERRACE!!

So the talk of losing streaks can now be left behind us and we can move on and look to the future, a future that is RED.