Hull City Ladies suffered a 6-1 defeat against Manchester United Women Under 21’s in the penultimate game of pre-season, however, there were plenty of positives to take from the game and it was a good learning opportunity for the Tigresses according to Adi Costello.
First team manager Adi Costello said: “Even though the result looked like 6-1, that was a good performance, performance is more important than the result, it’s pre-season, we’ve learned a lot today and we can take a lot away from that.
We played a quality side, we played Man United’s development side, there are some international players in the side, they were very very good, we played a good side, in my opinion, we played very well, we’re not going to meet a team like that in our league.”
Hull City Ladies had a goal disallowed early on. “We had chances to go in front, it was disallowed, take nothing away United was a very good side but I think we did well, 6-1 maybe was a fair result but we could have scored another couple,” said Costello.
Preparations are ramping up with the season fast approaching and there was plenty to take from the Tigresses first defeat of pre-season.
“Still plenty to take from the game, we’ve just been chatting to the girls in the changing rooms if you were going to take one thing away what is it, they played on limited touches and moved the ball very quickly in possession they moved the ball and we had to doggy round the pitch.
We tired because we had to move around the pitch, so when we come into our league we have to touch and play, move the ball quickly, move opposition around the pitch, which we can do and we did it against Harrogate and Barnsley, United was a different prospect when we were on the ball United was in our faces don’t have the time that you would get in our league today. The girls played decent the girls did well,” said Costello.
Gaining crucial match fitness is important according to Costello. “We made four changes at half-time and we made four more changes after 20 minutes into the second half, we put midfielders into defence and put players into different positions but that’s what we’re going to have to do, but ultimately United are a good side, take nothing away from them, they’re good but let’s take nothing away from our girls we did really well.”
Hull City Ladies final pre-season game is Sunday 13th September against Brighouse Town Women and Costello is looking forward to the prospect of facing them.
“Looking forward to the next pre-season game, we’re now going to play against a team in and around our level, not in and around WSL level so I am looking forward to it, as long as we learn from today, this was done deliberately before pre-season started we picked a day to fit Manchester United in because what we don’t want is a nice and easy pre-season where you’re playing teams and winning every game and you learn nothing from it.
Coming into the league, you’re playing good teams, Sunderland Derby Stoke and we haven’t really been challenged, we have been challenged today, the girls know they have been challenged, it’s been good for us”, said Costello.
The Women’s National League starts on the 20th of September as the Tigresses face Middlesborough Women. We then take on Sunderland Ladies the following week at Haworth Park, come and support the Tigresses!
“It’s hard to explain how well the girls play, they do try to play quick attractive football, it’s a Sunday, what else are you going to do on a Sunday. Come down, Haworth Park, it’s Hull, we’re back in Hull, it’s on a bus route, come and watch, have a drink, have a beer come and watch the game,” said Costello.
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*Written by Alex Robinson
*Photo by Kevin Greene, Kevin Greene Photography.