The players, performances and goals we’ll never forget: West Ham’s Ladies look back on the highlights from a tough season
After a difficult season, Blowing Bubbles caught up with captain Katie Bottom, Rosie Missen, Chelsea Hinz and Hannah Wheeler to reflect on their campaign.
Goal of the Season 2016: Shirvae Edwards screamer against Brighton
Katie Bottom: I will have to pick a goal by a player no longer here and that’s it would have to pick Shirvae Edwards against Brighton in our 2-2 draw. It was a great left peg into the top corner, which was made even better as it was captured on camera. For a player who is still at the club I will have to pick Whitney Locke’s goal against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup. It was a great team goal, and the winner to send us through to the next round. It was also one to break Whit’s drought in front of goal so meant a lot for all of us.
Chelsea Hinz: Shirvae’s goal against Brighton at home. Maybe 30 yards out the ball was played to Shev where no-one expected the shot but what a shot it turned out to be. First time, no touch, top corner, right over the keepers head.
Rosie Missen: Goal of the season has to go to Katie Bottom’s for her penalty against Spurs at Upton Park winning 1-0. I would like to think she will thank me for my words of wisdom before she took that pen!
Hannah Wheeler: I would have to say Katie Bottom at Upton Park, against Tottenham Hotspur. The play up to the penalty was consistent and everyone was working harder than ever and the composure Katie had was very professional. Very powerful and comfortable goal. Reaction from the crowd was unbelievable
Best Team Performance 2016: Against Spurs at Upton Park
KB: There are many performances I could pick from either of our performances against Brighton, or our draw away at Cardiff where we grinded out results against very strong opposition, but I think overall I’ll have to say our game against Spurs at Upton Park. We were in an awful run of form in the build up to the game, shipping goals left, right and centre and hardly getting on the score sheet ourselves, but it’s safe to say we turned on the performance at the right time in our big-gest game of the year.
CH: It has to be our game at Upton Park. As expected it was a great night for us, the season itself hadn’t been so great but as soon as we arrived at the Boleyn, it felt like we were already winning. We all worked as a team and worked our socks off for each other making sure we was covering each other!
RM: Best team perfor-mance without a doubt is against Spurs at Upton Park. It was an amazing night in front of all our friends, family and supporters.
​HW: It has to be at the Boleyn against Tottenham Hotspur. Previous fixtures with the club were always very close; they knocked us out of the cup on penalties. We showed great cohesion, determination and character on the day and everyone worked for each other, never giving up. However, everyone that watched us said they have never seen us play so well and we finally got the result we deserved.
Best Individual Performance 2016: Erica Turner against Cardiff City
KB: This performance may go under the radar with most players, but hands down the best performance this season was Erica Turner away to Cardiff. Making her first start for us against the league leaders (at the time). Erica pulled off some worldie saves, keeping us in the game from the start to the finish, and was very un-lucky to come away with conceding two goals and with us not winning the game.
CH: Katie Bottom against Spurs at Upton Park. Right from the kick off Kate took in the atmosphere and showed in her performance and the goal. She won every tackle, every header and played simple which is all we needed to do!
RM: Best individual performance for me was Erica Turner against Cardiff. She had an ab-solute blinder and kept us in the game to take a draw.
HW: For me this has to go to Rosie Missen. She is one of the most consistent members in the squad. She puts in a shift and can always rely on her to give a performance. Her effort in games and training is visible and especially in QPR away when everyone was lacking motivation, Rosie lifted spirits and put everyone in their place. Even when the team’s performance dropped she never gave up and her work rate shone through.
Best Goal Celebration 2016: Katie Bottom’s penalty against Spurs at Upton Park
KB: We haven’t had any celebrations that have been well thought out or used this season. So my winner would have to be after my penalty at Up-ton Park. It was our first goal in a few games, and at the time we knew that it was a one goal game with it being so close, so we were confident in it being the winner with it being so late on. The whole atmosphere and the delight in all the girls faces in the photos after show how much it meant to all of us.
CH: Upton Park v Spurs. This moment will live with me forever. We had had our chances and missed but when we were given the penalty, I think we all knew when Kate stepped up it was going in. When it did hit the back of the net, the players on the pitch, off the pitch, management and spectators all cele-brated together which was really overwhelming and magical!
RM: Best goal celebra-tion was at Upton Park after Katie’s penalty. Celebrating in front of a near 2000 crowd was amazing.
HW: This has to go to Katie Bottom. After scoring at the Boleyn in our league game against Tottenham, her face was an absolute picture! Her run to face the crowd where all the team awaited just created history for West Ham Ladies and unforgettable feeling.
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