SSFC Women forward Greener calls on team to "focus on ourselves"

South Shields Women forward Sophie Greener has called on the side to “focus on ourselves” ahead of a crunch tie against promotion hopefuls Spennymoor Town Ladies.

The two sides are separated by just two points, and the top six teams in the NERWFL Premier Division are impressively split by only three points at this stage of the season.

Shields are no strangers to the Moors either, having played them twice this season. Both teams came out 3-0 winners, in the League Cup (Spennymoor win) and in the County Cup (South Shields win). 

But this is the first tie-up in the league, and Greener has told the team to look at the lasses’ most recent game against Sunderland West End Ladies for motivation this Sunday.

“The league is all to play for really,” she reflected. 

“Teams have games in hand, everyone is beating everyone - it’s going to be close until the last few games. 

“Obviously it adds pressure, however as long as we focus on ourselves and do our thing we will be fine.

“The way we played against West End was really good and that will be how we look to play as the season continues.”

New arrival Sophie Curle has already netted six goals since joining the Mariners only three games ago, and the team has scored 12 goals in that period. They scored just three goals in the three matches before she came onboard.

Greener added: “Since coming in she’s [Sophie Curle] been a great addition to the team scoring goals herself as well as creating goals and opportunities for the team, she’s fitted in straight away and her stats show that. 

“I feel like Sophie and Eve [Gatens] work really well together and they are two of the best attackers in the league and to have both of them in the squad is great.

“Sophie’s a really good player and she brings many qualities to the team and with me being an attacking player myself this pushes my development and creates healthy competition for places within the squad.”

Disappointingly last Sunday’s match against Barnsley FC Women was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Harton Welfare but Greener suggests all focus is firmly on the Moors now.

She continued: “[It] was a big game, obviously another team high up in the league and competing for promotion, however focus and preparation will be on Spennymoor now. It’s always an exciting game with them and I can only imagine Sunday to be the same.

“It’s another big game for us and with our most recent performance I'm excited to see how we do!”

The game will be hosted at The Brewery Field, home of Spennymoor Town FC, this Sunday at 2pm. Admission is £3 and under 12s go free.