Ward Confident Bulldogs Can Find Consistency
Image supplied by Alan Minifie
Capalaba FC fullback Isabelle Ward says her side must ‘put in the hard yards’ as they aim to turn around their recent away woes in the National Premier Leagues Women’s on Sunday.
The Bulldogs continue their NPLW campaign on the road to ninth-placed Mitchelton FC at Teralba Park knowing a win could lift them as high as third on the table
However, they must overcome a three-match run of defeats away from home that extends back to before the COVID shutdown – including a 1-0 last start defeat at Souths United.
The Redlands-raised Ward said she and her teammates are in no doubt of the importance of accumulating as many points as possible on their travels if they are to replicate last year’s maiden NPLW Finals Series appearance.
“We need to take three points from this game against Mitchy. We know it won’t be easy but that’s what we have to do,” Ward said.
“It’s always tough playing away from home. They will be used to their surface and they also have the home crowd, but we have a goal of finishing in the top two and we really have to put in the hard yards now to ensure that happens.”
The Bulldogs have made a mixed return from the COVID break to sit sixth in the competition standings – with the Souths defeat coming just four days after they dismantled Moreton Bay United 9-2.
However, Ward said she feels the team is getting ever closer to finding the consistency that will put them on the path to the higher rungs of the ladder.
“We were all pretty disappointed with the result against Souths but we also learned a lot from that game and it really comes down to consistency,” she explained.
“We started hard and we were performing well– and we were unlucky not to get a goal in that early period - but there were patches where we couldn’t keep the ball as well and we have identified that.
“But I do think we have a really good group of players with a lot of talent and positivity. The more we play the more we will really start to stick it together and I think we really have a lot of potential as a team.”
Ward also dismissed the role of the unfamiliar synthetic surface in the defeat to Souths – a challenge that will again confront them at Mitchelton on Sunday.
“You have to adapt to every field you play on and every week will be slightly different. It doesn’t matter if it is grass or synthetic, you just have to get on with it,” she concluded.
The Bulldogs will be buoyed by their recent record against Mitchelton after twice shutting them out last season on the way to a league double, including a 6-0 win in their last visit to Teralba Park.
