After a 2-0 win over Wakefield Trinity LFC two weeks ago, The Tigresses picked up back-to-back wins after securing a 4:1 victory against Harrogate Town Ladies last Sunday. As first team manager Adi Costello was impressed with Hull City Ladies defence and attack and the promising signs the Tigresses are showing.

Adi Costello said: “Have to be pleased, I’m pleased in the way the girls are starting to interpret the way we want to play, so we have a way out of possession and when we’re in possession, last week like I said we were only focusing on our possession, this week we was reinforcing our possession and we started our process what we’re going to do in possession, we’re eight weeks into training and I’m pleased at the way things are going.”

The Tigresses gave a dominant display which saw four goals recorded thanks from a double from Aaliyah Allen, a goal each from Bethany Padget and Emily Smith. Allen has now three goals in two games something which Costello is delighted with and the Tigresses performance.

“I am pleased, I’m really pleased for the young striker upfront, she’s scored three goals in two games now, which is what we want and expect from a striker, again I’m impressed the way in which the girls are making opportunities , which we really didn’t do a lot of last season, but it’s good, really pleased, however, it’s a long way to go,” said Costello.

With the FA Women’s National League North starting on Sunday 20th September, Hull City Ladies are ramping up their preparations ahead of the new campaign as pre-season is gaining fitness, trying and working things out, with the future looking bright as the Tigresses go into their 20th anniversary, in 2021.

“I think there’s promising signs, Andy was working with me in Sweden, we wanted to challenge the girls, we played two different formations that they knew and we did last weekend and they expected that. But then we went to a formation that we challenged them to, we took the width away from them, so what are you going to do with no width.

We didn’t say anything and they did what we expected them to do, keep shelling it in behind and that doesn’t work. So we spoke about that and we move on, it’s all part of the learning, we’re pleased with the way things are progressing,” said Costello.

Hull City Ladies put in a great performance against Harrogate, creating good opportunities throughout the match and although fans cannot attend yet, playing football is pivotal for the Tigresses.

Costello said: “It’s a positive thing to be back playing football, you’ve got to imagine for the girls, we stopped playing in March, not only we stopped playing games, we stopped training, we did nothing, the girls are desperate to play football.

We’ve got temperature checks, wiping footballs every 20 minutes, no-ones allowed in, take all that selfish stuff aside the girls are playing football and that’s what they want to do. As long as we keep playing games they’ll be happy.”

Our season will kick off on Sunday 20th September, you can read more about that here. https://hullcityladies.com/2020/08/17/wnl-bigkickoff/. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Haworth Park when it’s safe to do so.

*Written by Alex Robinson

** Photo by Tony King in Association with Kevin Greene Photography.