West Ham United Ladies manager Greg De Carnys has hailed the work rate of his players despite their midweek loss to Charlton.
De Carnys’s side fell to a 6-0 home defeat to the league leaders on Wednesday evening in a difficult encounter at Rush Green, with the away side netting three goals in each half.
Although the history books will show a heavy defeat for West Ham De Carnys is still proud of his players for their effort, saying this match required his team to work harder than they’ve done in other matches this campaign.
Charlton are a really good side and they're top of the league for a reason. I can’t fault the effort of my team. I think they worked harder than they probably have done all season.
Greg De Carnys
The manager also believes the score is flattering to Charlton but has hailed the obvious quality that the away team showed, adding that they are in the very title battle that West Ham are aiming to also compete in.
De Carnys told whufc.com after the match: “The score-line is difficult to take but I don’t think it tells the full story of the game. We conceded two early goals which made the score-line look worse.
“It’s not nice when you don’t have the ball as much as the opposition and in most of the games this season we’ve had the ball more. Charlton have obviously got some quality which is going to take them far, but that’s something that we want to emulate. We want to get to where they’re at.”
Although Charlton scored three goals in each half of the match De Carnys feels there was a marked improvement in his team in the second period, particularly defensively as Charlton were allowed less time on the ball.
The three goals the away side netted in the second period came as a result of quick counter-attacks as West Ham searched for a way back into the game, and De Carnys is both proud of how his side responded to his half-time talk and ready to take lessons from this defeat.
He added: “I think through the game we got better. It was a lot harder for them to break us down in the second period. We will take that forward and learn from it. I’m pleased that we improved as the game went on.
“Against teams like Charlton, with the players they have, you’ve got to make sure you don’t give them any space in dangerous areas. It’s not the way you necessarily want to play every week but it’s certainly something you have to call on at times.
“There’s things we’ve learned from this game that we can take into our other games. Over the course of the 90 minutes we’ve learned a lot."