Jay Sadler makes surprise admission after Portsmouth Women claim first win of the season
Portsmouth Women beat Sheffield United 1-0 to claim their first win of the season on Sunday.
Jay Sadler’s side were playing at Fratton Park for the first time this season, and they gave the supporters something to cheer early on when Meg Hornby scored directly from a free-kick after 10 minutes.
Sheffield United responded well to going behind. They were awarded a penalty in the first half, but Amy Andrews’ spot-kick struck the post. The Blades also had a goal disallowed on the stroke of half-time.
Both teams had chances in a tense second half, but ultimately Hornby’s strike was enough to win the game and register the team’s first points of the season.
Pompey Women have three points from their first three games this season, which is a massive improvement on last year’s campaign, where they didn’t pick up their first win until March.
Jay Sadler says that Portsmouth Women didn’t play well against Sheffield United
Sadler was faced with the difficult task of rebuilding his Portsmouth Women side after losing 12 members of the first team over the summer.
There were nine debutants in Pompey Women’s first game of the new season, and it was always going to take time for the team to gel.
So, it’s no surprise that Sadler was delighted to pick up his first win of the season at the third time of asking.
However, in his post-match interview, he admitted that he thought his team didn’t play that well despite claiming the victory.
He said: “I thought there were a lot of positives to take from the game today in regards to our spirit, our resilience.
“In terms of the result, obviously, it’s massive getting three points for us. But performance, I don’t think we were good today, if I’m being honest, which shows a good sign if you can win games when not at your best.”
Sadler suggested his side gave the ball away too cheaply and lost their shape too easily when out of possession. He also praised goalkeeper Jess Gray for keeping his side in the game.
Results are the most important thing at this stage for Portsmouth Women
It’s a tired cliché, but it remains true that results will be the most important thing for Sadler and his Portsmouth Women side at this early stage of the season.
Pompey have made some promising signings on the women’s side this summer, and they’ll only improve as they play more games together.
| Date | Competition | Opponent |
| 25 September | Women’s League Cup | Brighton (H) |
| 28 September | Women’s Championship | Ipswich (A) |
| 5 October | Women’s Championship | Nottingham Forest (A) |
| 9 October | Women’s League Cup | Southampton (A) |
The games continue to come thick and fast throughout September and October, and there’s also a cup tie against Southampton on the horizon.
The team can perhaps look forward to playing with more freedom now that they’ve registered their first victory.
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