Olivia Smart: Three points is what we need | OneFootball

Leeds United Women make their much-anticipated return to the Bannister Prentice Stadium this weekend, as they host AFC Fylde in their final FA WNL fixture of 2024.

The tie will see the Whites return to their Garforth home, after impressing at Elland Road last month in their 3-0 demolition of York City Ladies.

Simon Wood’s side followed that up with a fantastic victory away at Norton & Stockton Ancients by the same scoreline, in a feisty encounter which captain Olivia Smart believes showed the character of the squad.

“Sometimes you have got to win football games ugly and we did that,” the skipper explained after the win on Teesside. “The important thing is you get three points no matter how you perform.

“Ultimately, we do look at the performance afterwards and obviously there are things that you can work on from every game, but particularly games like that are more of a battle.

“It was an away fixture in the North East and we never expect anything less from that kind of fixture, but three points is what we needed and we scored a couple of good goals straight from the training ground goals as well, which is nice.

“We are digging in for each other as well this season, which is nice to feel like a part of, and something that other teams actually can’t get in between. So, I think that makes us hard to beat.”

AFC Fylde have struggled to find form following relegation from the Northern Premier Division last campaign, currently rooted to the foot of the table with just two wins to their name.

In an unpredictable league however, the squad must guard against complacency, according to the defender.

“We don’t take any game lightly in this league at all,” Smart added. “Previous teams that have won this league have shown that, by turning up to every match and just taking it game by game.

“You don’t disrespect any opponent in this league, and especially one that has come down as well. We took three points away from them on the road, but playing them at home is something that we will thrive in.

“Three points is what we need from it to take us into Christmas hopefully top of the tree and we won’t be disrespecting any opponent. We will take it each game as it comes.

“We are hoping that some of those people that have seen us at Elland Road have been inspired to come back to watch us at our home ground.

“We are proving it is a difficult place to play us as well, so hopefully we can make sure that we take our streak from Elland Road into playing at Garforth and take the three points, which is what we need!”

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