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Women’s Team midfielder Rebecca Foster impressed with Reds’ “great??? Broadhurst record

Midfielder Rebecca Foster’s influence has shone through more prominently than ever on the team over the last few weeks, with a number of superb individual showings from the middle of the pitch. After picking up the Player of the Match award in the 4-0 win over Warrington Wolverines nearly two weeks ago, she played a key part in helping the Reds to yet another win this season as United beat Liverpool Marshall Feds Reserves 3-0 last Sunday.

It was a game that Foster believed gave the Reds a real test. "I feel last weekend’s game could be up there as one of our more challenging games this season and we need to give Feds credit for that. We dominated the game but they were very well drilled and well setup. It made it hard for us to play our passing game. When we come up against organised teams like that, its quite tough mentally to carry on playing ’our’ game and not get frustrated. We knew they would tire eventually, so we stayed patient and then finally found a way through. We kept another clean sheet which also feels nice!"

Sunday’s win was the Reds’ last home fixture of the calendar year, winning fifteen of sixteen at home in 2017 and going unbeaten overall. Foster admits that it has been great playing on home turf so far in her first season at the club. "It’s a great record to have and hopefully we can keep it going. Playing at FC this year, so far, has been an absolute pleasure. There isn’t many teams out there who have the professionalism of FC, it’s something that attracted me to the club".

This campaign is Foster’s first in Red since signing from Urmston Meadowside LFC in the summer, the determination to help take this club to the next level was a big factor in persuading the midfielder to join the club. "Having started a full-time teaching job and knowing that I would have little time outside of that meant I wanted to find a club close by who train once a week but had the professionalism of a top team. That is hard to find but I knew from playing for Luke [Podmore] and Mark [Partington] before, that this club had that. Luke [Podmore] mentioned to me that he wanted to take this club places and that mentality suits me. I wanted to be part of a project to get this team where we should be".

As Foster mentioned, she had played under manager Luke Podmore and Assistant manager/goalkeeping coach Mark Partington previously in her time at Preston North End WFC. She admits that it has been great to link back up with them both here at FC, so far this season. "Working with Luke and Mark is an absolute pleasure. I have so much respect for both of them and that’s due to their absolute passion for football. They put so much time into the club and that is why we are so successful. With me also coaching, I take a lot of ideas from Luke as a manager - he’s someone who I really look up to".

Foster more than anybody will admit that her successful start to life at FC has been massively helped by the midfield unit that she has played within. She has built up a formidable partnership with fellow midfielder Olivia Greenhalgh already this season with natural link up with players like Fran Sullivan and Cara Fields also present on the pitch so far this season. Foster believes that all three have pushed her game on so far this season.

"I have been at a few clubs over the years and I can honestly say that I have never been at a club where I have clicked so well on the pitch with a teammate like I have done with Liv G. We compliment eachother so well and its a bit of a running joke now that she makes the tackle, passes to me and I play through the ball - simple! Liv is a player that goes about her business quietly but consistently gets the job done well - every club needs a Liv G! I absolutely love the partnership and I think that shows on the pitch. Then to play with quality players like Fran [Sullivan] and Cara [Fields] is amazing, they push me all the time as they are both very very talented. Its so nice to look up and know that I’m passing the ball to quality players like the two of them".

Next up for the Reds is a trip to Northwich Vixens tomorrow afternoon. United won the reverse fixture 11-0 at Broadhurst Park (3G) in October, a game which Foster scored twice in. She’s looking forward to facing up against them again tomorrow. "I feel like we dominated the game from start to finish last time we played them and that will be something that we will look to do again tomorrow. We scored some very very good goals last time, Frankie [Sullivan] was on fire! I got on the score-sheet twice which was also nice. I think that it was an all-round top team performance and tomorrow we need to replicate it".

"Each week we always want to be better than the week before and tomorrow will be no different. We have some players missing from last time out [against Northwich], with both Fliss [Winters] and Kirsty [Chambers] still injured who both had a big impact on the game so that is something that we will need to manage. However, the depth of the squad means that we have quality players in all positions. As well as this, we didn’t have Jess Battle last time so obviously it’s a positive that our top scorer will be playing too", Foster added.

Tomorrow’s fixture will also be the Reds’ first away game in over two months dating back to the 13-0 win at Liverpool Marshall Feds Reserves on October 1st. However the midfielder believes that it shouldn’t have any effect on the Reds’ performance. "It has been really nice to have so many home games, especially the fact that its on 3G so our games have always been on - that has given us the start we needed to be at the top of the table. Playing at home is also always special as we have some amazing fans which I absolutely love! However, playing away doesn’t make any difference to our performance and Luke [Podmore] makes sure of that with his preparation and makes sure that we prepare for every game the same - so it should be business as usual!"

Unfortunately, the Reds fixture at Northwich Vixens has since been postponed due to bad weather, we will have news of a rescheduled date in the near future. Not to worry, we are back in action for the final time in 2017 next Sunday (17th December), as we make the trip to Stockport County Blues - 2pm KO!

By Mikey Partington


First Posted ~ 19:45 Sat 9 Dec 2017
News ID ~ 7711
Last Updated ~ 21:49 Thu 18 Feb 2021