Curle hails "positive kick-start" at SSFC Women

Sophie Curle “couldn’t have really asked for a more positive kick-start” to life at South Shields Women given how clinical she has been so far. 

The new arrival has netted a hat-trick, a brace and a single goal over her three matches which has brought her total strikes up to six since joining in the middle of February.

Impressively this puts her up to third in the seasonal goal charts, with only strike partner Eve Gatens (12 goals) and Jaz Elliott-Wood (7 goals) ahead of her. 

And Curle has been amazed by what a start she’s made in claret and blue so far.

She said: “I am delighted with the way things have started at Shields. I couldn’t have really asked for a more positive kick-start! 

“I’m loving every second and hopefully the enjoyment continues to stay the same.”

That strike partnership was highlighted after the pair tore Sunderland West End Ladies apart and Curle is certainly a fan of how that is working out.

“Eve is a great player,” she added, “and I assumed adapting to the way she was obviously already used to playing would be more difficult than it was. 

“The link gets stronger each game and it has definitely made a positive impact to the beginning of my Shields career.”

It’s a rare trait in a striker to be so clinical wherever they have gone but Curle has taken it in her stride to be successful at other teams. 

She scored 31 goals in just 13 matches for Ponteland United Women this season, and netted an amazing 17 goals for Thornaby Ladies in only 6 games last season. 

Curle also has experience playing for Middlesbrough Women in the FA Women’s National League Premier Division - two divisions higher than what Shields are playing in - and got herself a goal.

“I think I've adjusted well purely on the fact that each club I've played at there has been an instinctive drive to do well which has then shown in competitive situations,” she continued.

“The jump to Shields was made smoother based on the experience I’ve had playing in the different leagues, so there’s a lot of gratitude owed to the other clubs.”

This Sunday sees Shields take on Spennymoor Town Ladies at The Brewery Field, where supporters can find out whether her blistering scoring streak can continue. Admission is £3 and under 12s go free.