We spoke with Long Eaton United midfielder Lia Kellogg after her side from the East Midlands League last week dumped Premier League Leicester City Ladies out of the SSE Women’s FA Cup by four goals to one.
SK: How did you feel about your chances before the match?
LK: We went into the game buzzing and confident we’d be able to give Leicester a good match due to our recent form. We’re on a really good run – we’ve won 9 and drawn 1 across all competitions so far, beating Rotherham United in the last round was probably our best win so far this season. We beat a team in the league above pre-season as well as recording a 5-1 win against Notts County’s WSL Development squad, so we know we have a strong squad full of confidence and on form which always gives you the belief you can get a result.
Lia Kellogg gets a tackle in during the Derbyshire Cup Final.
SK: How was the game and can you tell us a little about the goals?
LK: First half the game was tense. We started well, created a few chances but then seemed to take our foot off the gas and let them back in. They then scored a volley from 20 yards out, an absolute worldie of a goal against the run of play and we were 1-0 down at half time, even though we had not played well for the last 20 minutes, it came as a shock going into half time. At half time we got a bit of a rocket from our manager [Charlotte Healy] that I think we needed and she challenged us to show a reaction to not only keep our FA Cup run alive, but to make history for the club and reach the 1st Round Proper for the first time, which was something we’d been thinking about from the minute the whistle went for kick off. Within 5 minutes of the second half we were 2-1 up and a great second half display saw us dominate in every area of the pitch. Two goals each from Shell Kilmartin and Precious Hamilton finishing off well-worked passing patterns and a set piece saw our club back in the hat for the first round!
SK: What’s the feeling about another home tie with a Premier League side?
LK: We’re excited! We were all looking forward to seeing who we would draw on Monday and it’s nice to have drawn somebody we’ve never played before. Wolves came down from the FA Women’s Premier League into Division 1 last year, so it’s a great opportunity for us to see where we’re at. I think it will be a massive challenge for us but I feel if we all play how we know we can, then we can cause another upset and become giant-killers for the third time! We want to be playing in the WPL Division 1 next season, so it’s another opportunity to play a better team from the that league!
SK: The team isunbeaten in all competitions this season, who has come closest to ending that run?
LK: Our league rivals Mansfield Town definitely came closest. We really let ourselves down in that game, we gifted them goals and were really poor on the day! We wanted to go out and make a statement to everyone in the league about us but we didn’t, so we’re looking forward to our trip to the One Call Stadium in a few weeks to hopefully try and put that right. Some of the older girls said it was the team’s worst performance in years and certainly the worst performance under the management of Charlotte [Healy], Alex [Sammutt] and Will [Brown] in three years! So in the end we were disappointed in ourselves but happy to come away with a point.
SK: What are your hopes for yourself and the team this season?
LK: From a personal point of view, I want to keep improving and adding to my game to give me the best possible chance of being selected in the squad each week. Charlotte and Jim [Fairley] (Manager and Chairman respectively) made some great signings in the summer, bringing in the likes of Cara Newton, Precious Hamilton, Shell Kilmartin, Jamie Kingham and Amy White, who have all experienced playing at the Women’s Premier League level and above which has really pushed our team on. Our bench seems to get stronger and stronger, the competition for places has never been bigger! As a team, our focus has to be on promotion. We’re desperate to get out of our Regional Premier League and test ourselves in the Women’s Premier League next season. We have a history of doing well in the League Cup, so it would be great to challenge for that cup this season too after losing out to the eventual winners 1-0 in the semi final last year. We also enter the Derbyshire FA Women’s County Cup where we faced Derby County in the final last year, so another run in that competition would really pack out what we hope will be a successful season for us!
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