West Ham United Ladies skipper Katie Bottom and manager Marc Nurse were thrilled to win at the Boleyn Ground
West Ham United Ladies captain and Foundation coach Katie Bottom marked a perfect day by netting the hosts’ only goal as they defeated local rivals Tottenham Hotspur Ladies 1-0 at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday night.
It was International Women’s Day and the first time ever that an FA Women’s Premier League game had been played under the famous lights at Upton Park and the night was made all the better when Bottom stepped up to convert from the penalty spot after substitute Laura Curtis was tripped in the box.
Having supported the club her whole life and spent many years working for the West Ham Foundation as a community coach, Bottom told whufc.com after the game just how perfect her day was.
“I’m always around the ground but I’ve never had the chance to lead a team out before and to be one of the last captains to do it at the end of this last season at Upton Park is a massive achievement for me and for all the girls,” she said.
“It was a perfect day from the start to the finish. The performance from every single one of the girls that went out onto the pitch was top drawer.
“We kept it solid and knew that we could get something on the break and obviously we won the penalty so it’s was a fantastic night for us.
It was International Women’s Day and the first time ever that an FA Women’s Premier League game had been played under the famous lights at Upton Park and the night was made all the better when Bottom stepped up to convert from the penalty spot after substitute Laura Curtis was tripped in the box.
Having supported the club her whole life and spent many years working for the West Ham Foundation as a community coach, Bottom told whufc.com after the game just how perfect her day was.
“I’m always around the ground but I’ve never had the chance to lead a team out before and to be one of the last captains to do it at the end of this last season at Upton Park is a massive achievement for me and for all the girls,” she said.
“It was a perfect day from the start to the finish. The performance from every single one of the girls that went out onto the pitch was top drawer.
“We kept it solid and knew that we could get something on the break and obviously we won the penalty so it’s was a fantastic night for us.
“I was a bit nervous [stepping up for the penalty]. I’ve come up against Tor [Toni-Anne Wayne] a couple of times, because she used to play for us, but I knew where I was going to put it and I just hoped she didn't guess the same way as me - try putting it in the corner and keep it away from her.
“The results haven’t been that great but we’ve certainly put that on its head. The solid performance, the win, the three points that we needed and the confidence which is going to shoot now.
“The next three games are vital for us so hopefully we can pick up some more points. We’ve done this game and we now have to focus on the next one and keep on going and keep plodding away.
“Overall though, it’s the perfect day and the perfect performance, so we’ll be going to bed happy!
First team manager Marc Nurse similarly used the word ‘perfect’ to describe many parts of the day too, as he echoed his captain’s feelings about the performance and the day as a whole.
“It was absolutely perfect,” added Nurse. “It’s our first and last game at the Boleyn Ground and it was absolutely fantastic. There were so many supporters for both West Ham and Tottenham, more so for West Ham, which helped to make the occasion that fantastic.
“The game itself was very entertaining with plenty of end-to-end stuff, but grit and determination got us the result that we needed which was a 1-0 win. Three more points on the board now and I’m a very happy man.”
“The results haven’t been that great but we’ve certainly put that on its head. The solid performance, the win, the three points that we needed and the confidence which is going to shoot now.
“The next three games are vital for us so hopefully we can pick up some more points. We’ve done this game and we now have to focus on the next one and keep on going and keep plodding away.
“Overall though, it’s the perfect day and the perfect performance, so we’ll be going to bed happy!
First team manager Marc Nurse similarly used the word ‘perfect’ to describe many parts of the day too, as he echoed his captain’s feelings about the performance and the day as a whole.
“It was absolutely perfect,” added Nurse. “It’s our first and last game at the Boleyn Ground and it was absolutely fantastic. There were so many supporters for both West Ham and Tottenham, more so for West Ham, which helped to make the occasion that fantastic.
“The game itself was very entertaining with plenty of end-to-end stuff, but grit and determination got us the result that we needed which was a 1-0 win. Three more points on the board now and I’m a very happy man.”