Chelsea Women forward Bethany England was the Blues’ hero against Tottenham Hotspur yesterday having scored the only goal of the London derby, and the English international believes it is just the beginning for her team...
On Sunday the Blues began our Women’s Super League campaign with a 1-0 triumph at Stamford Bridge against newly promoted Spurs. England, who is evidently full of confidence following her recent international debut, got the Blues off the mark with a magnificent strike within five minutes of play.
The no.9 dispossessed New Zealand international Ria Percival, burst ahead and unleashed a shot from 25 yards out which flew past the former Blues goalkeeper Becky Spencer and into the far corner.
‘It was just instinct,’ said England. ‘I got it on my left, I have got a good left foot when I want, I struck it clean and just saw it fly in.
‘The emotion that came through me, you could see it in the knee slide, I’ve never done a knee slide in my life but it felt worthy in front of the home crowd today.’
It was a fantastic day with exciting activities and entertainment for all fans to enjoy prior to and throughout the game. Yesterday’s attendance set a record crowd for a Chelsea Women’s home game, with more than five times as many people present as our previous best.
The day could not have gone any better for the 25-year-old, who not only scored the only game of the clash, but also received the Player of the Match award for her impressive performance. England praised her team-mates and emphasised the importance of securing the win.
‘Unbelievable, nice weather, great crowd and three points, what more could you wish for?’ were her words post-match.
‘I think there was some pressures at the start, there was a little bit of nerves but at the end of the day we still have to realise that it’s just football. Once we step on that grass and the whistle goes we know our jobs and we know to be ready, get the basics right and go from there.
‘It was a tough game but we saw it out and got the three points and I’m really proud of all the team for that.’
It is no secret that Chelsea have their eyes set on clinching the Women’s Super League trophy for a third time in our history, and although it is still very much early days having played just the one fixture thus far, England is confident her side has what it takes to bring the title back to west London.
‘There are some world class players in this team and I believe in every single one of them. This is just the start and I know there is a lot more to come from us, it’s just the first game of the season, we’re off to a winning start and I’m sure we’re going to progress really well,’ she said.
Enjoyed yesterday’s game? Why not see more at Kingsmeadow with Women’s season tickets just £49 for the whole season. Junior fans (aged under 20) as well as senior fans (aged 65 or over) can enjoy the whole season for just £5!
The next home game is against West Ham on Sunday 22 September.