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25
Oct
‘Beyond expectations’: Knaresborough Town Women’s manager on perfect start to the season
After winning promotion to the Premier Division of the West Riding County Women’s Football League last season, Knaresborough Town have had a dream start to the new campaign.
The Boro’ have won all of their first five games in the league so far, scoring 20 goals and conceding five.
They are six places ahead of local rivals Harrogate Railway, who have been an established Premier Division side for years. For comparison, Railway only have four points from their first five fixtures.
There is no doubt that Knaresborough have made an electric start to the season in their new league, but just how have they done it?
Mike Bligh, manager of Knaresborough Town Women, told the Stray Ferret this week:
Through sheer desire and work rate from the team. They never stop working for each other. We’ve had the knowledge of other teams too so far, which has helped. We’ve played a few of them before.
[Beating Premier Division teams in the cup] last season filled us with confidence that we could compete, so we went into this season without any fear. But it’s been phenomenal. Beyond what we expected.
Knaresborough Town Women's first team.
Bligh said that his side’s performance against league leaders and fellow promoted side, Thackley, was the one he was most proud of, labelling Thackley as “the best in the league” from what he’s seen.
He added that he’s not surprised both clubs are doing well in the Premier Division.
The Knaresborough manager was full of praise for three players in particular after Knaresborough’s first month in the division. He said:
Everyone’s been brilliant, but two or three have been really consistent so far. Maria [Chatzistamou, goalkeeper] has been like a brick wall. Grace Adams has been rolling back the years with her midfield performances, and Cass Lane has been banging in the goals for us up front. They can’t do their work without the seven or eight others on the pitch, though.
It was tough for us losing Ellis [Baxter, Knaresborough’s top scorer last year] at the end of last season. She will score many goals across many levels of football, I’m sure of it. The challenge set to the team was to replace those 20-odd goals a season. They’re doing that from all areas of the pitch now.
Cass Lane. Photo: Caughtlight Photography
The Boro’s 20 goals scored so far this season have come from 10 different players, showing just how dangerous Bligh’s team is.
When we spoke to Bligh before the season, he said the ambitions were to finish in the top half of the table.
Having started so well, though, have those ambitions changed? He said:
The ambitions haven’t changed yet – it’s too early for that. We’re just going to keep taking it a game at a time.
This year is the first time two teams will get promoted [instead of one] in god knows how long, though. If we’re in and about it in January, then we can think about promotion.
Bligh said that he’s expecting a challenge against Knaresborough’s opponents this weekend, though.
They face Leeds Medics and Dentists, who they played in the league cup quarter final last year. After a tough 1-1 draw, Knaresborough just edged their way past the Leeds side on penalties.
Knaresborough will kick off away at Leeds Medics and Dentists at 2pm tomorrow (October 26).
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