Manager Rehanne Skinner waxed lyrical over her West Ham United women’s team side’s clinical attacking play and character on display to come from behind to hit Crystal Palace for five at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
The Hammers put on a five-star display in east London after falling two goals down as five goalscorers - Viviane Asseyi, Seraina Piubel, Manuela Paví, Anouk Denton and Katrina Gorry - helped the Irons to record their second victory of the Barclays Women's Super League campaign, moving them up to eighth in the standings.
Off the back of scoring four past London City Lionesses, Skinner’s outfit are firing on all cylinders, and the Irons boss was full of praise for her team as they deservedly claimed the bragging rights against bottom-of-the-table Palace.
“Our attacking play was outstanding,” said Skinner. “All of the work we’ve been doing and putting in, I think that [game] sums it up: different goalscorers, the response, the attitude.
“We didn’t start well, obviously we were a bit slow coming out of the blocks, but I think what you saw in terms of the response also sums up the togetherness, attitude, and character of the team. So I’m delighted.
“We needed to make sure we put the game to bed, we’ve been the culprits at times of sitting off in those moments, so we’ve been trying to change the mindset of not having any fear and keep going at teams more positively, and that’s definitely come out today.
“The forward line, in particular, are starting to read and understand each other from the work we’ve been doing on the training pitch. These players work hard every single day of the week and nobody’s ever satisfied about losing a game, nobody.
“What you’ve seen today is a build up of knowing we can do better and wanting to make sure that we get that over the line. The experience in the team is superb now and I think that showed today.
“We want to be competitive in the league so we’ve been disappointed not having some of the points that we felt we could have got out of games, and it’s onwards and upwards. We’re looking up, not down. We want to chase the people above us, that’s the thing we’re looking at.”
Skinner, her staff and players were applauded off the pitch by the joyous Hammers fans, who stuck with the team while they were behind, and acted as the 12th player to help pull them back into the contest.
“The fans have been tremendous,” Skinner said. “There was loads of chanting at key moments in the game and it gives the players a massive lift. I’m just so glad that we can do that at home, and this is a difficult place to come to because of our fans, and I massively value that, and so do the players.
“The commitment they've shown to stick with us and to start seeing the type of football we’re playing [is fantastic].
“To have the five goals today that the fans can be excited about is just superb."
