Ladies topple Hammers

Tottenham Hotspur Ladies maintained their promising start to the season with a 2-1 derby win at West Ham on Thursday night.

An own goal and Lucia Padilla's strike proved enough for the team to make it two wins out of two in the FA Women's Premier League South.

Manager Karen Hills gave us this report. "We settled quicker in the first 20 minutes, controlled the game and saw some excellent link-up play between our forwards.

"We went ahead via an own goal when Wendy Martin beat a player down the left, drove into the box and hit a low, hard cross that the defender could only turn into her own net.

"We continued to control the game and the second goal came just before half-time when Lucia Padilla drilled home from Lucia Leon's flick.

"West Ham started well in the second half and put us on the back foot.

"The game became scrappier and we became more and more anxious and eventually that led to a mistake that let them in for 2-1.

"After that, we could have wrapped it up when Bianca Baptiste was denied by the crossbar and then a fine save from the goalkeeper to keep out Lucia Padilla.

"It was a tense final 10 minutes but we held on to the three points.

"Overall, we played well in the first half, controlled it but the second half wasn't pretty and we let them back into the game.

"We could have put the match beyond reach instead of that testing final 10 minutes or so and we need to learn to take the sting out of the game when we're in front.

"However, it's been a great week for us so far and we now play Charlton on Sunday.

"That will be a tight, competitive game and we know we'll have to be at our top level to take all three points."

The ladies take on the Addicks tomorrow at Ware FC, kick-off 2pm.

Spurs Ladies vs West Ham: Toni-Anne Wayne, Natalie Crafton, Fran Gamble, Leah Rawle, Jenna Schillaci, Shannon Maloney, Wendy Martin, Lucia Paddilla, Bianca Baptiste, Lucia Leon (Katie O'Leary, 60), Avilla Bergin (Sophie McLean, 65). Unused subs: Leanne Mabey, Lauren Picton.