Tractor Girls Talk - 14 summer signings and a dramatic opening day draw

26:59Ross Halls:Of course, they've been playing pre-season, which were all behind closed doors, which was a bit of a shame. But, you know, what De Wrij said, I think, in his pre-match press conference was just that was the decision on the clubs they were playing, really. They just wanted to make it behind closed doors. Of course, one thing that actually happened over the summer as well, they went to Spain, which was the first ever overseas training camp for the club, for the women's set-up, which is fantastic. It just shows how far they've gone, been able to do that. And it's a great way to sort of bond and get ready for the season.

27:31Ross Halls:But yeah, Tom, how are you feeling when it was 1-0? Did you feel like Town could get a goal back? I think Forest would have probably been happy with just like, yeah, we're done now. That's three points on the board. But thankfully Town did get that goal. but for the next 20 minutes or so, it was Town trying to really get that goal, but they weren't even threatening, were they, unfortunately? No, no, nothing of note really happened between Forrest's goal and Ipswich's goal. It was... I don't even know how many attacks Ipswich had. Obviously, their first shot on target was the goal. So they certainly didn't trouble Forrest's goalkeeper at all.

28:09and their defence didn't really seem too affected either. A lot of the game was just being played in the middle of the pitch. So no, I didn't think that they were going to get back into it. Obviously, there was hope that someone would just take a shot from distance and we might have a pool situation where the goalkeeper spills it or doesn't collect it properly and it falls into the path of an attacker or anything could have happened, but they weren't doing that. They were just trying to sort of play it round. They were trying to get down the wings quite a bit, which they didn't have a lot of luck in.

28:51And then obviously the 93rd minute comes and Town do play it round quite well. The passing is quick and sharp.

29:04and I think it comes to Mary McAteer who obviously came off the bench and I think in the club put out a little video of Megan Hornby and McAteer just talking through the goal and I know that Mary said I was tempted to have a shot but I know that it wouldn't have got anywhere so rightfully played it to Hornby a little bit behind her I think Hornby was thinking, you know, run onto it, strike it, maybe right-footed. She obviously had to stop and come back, cut inside and, you know, hit it with her left. And I mean, it was a brilliant, brilliant finish. Really, really good. It just flew into the top corner.

29:47Goalkeeper wasn't getting anywhere near it. And yeah, thankfully it went in and Ipswich were saved. because I think to lose a game of such little quality to that sort of mistake would have been really crushing for the side. And obviously, first game of the season, they want to get off as they mean to go on. To have lost it in that fashion, I think would have been a real sucker bunch for them. Thankfully, that didn't happen. They come away with a point and a well-earned point, I would say and you know puts them first game of the season pointless me saying this but it puts them you know top half um thankfully I think it's based on on uh Alphabet but you know it's still top half and it's something to work on um something to build on and obviously it boosts everyone's confidence and and you know no less um Hornby's yeah great yeah debut goal as well you always want

30:48Ross Halls:to sort of start off you know with a good moment and um as a winger you know you want to start with a goal and um yeah really good finish um i was not expecting that i will admit i was sort of preparing to sort of get ready to send you i hate to say that those German um deflation pictures and just you know go oh hands on you know hands on hips and stuff like that and and maybe try to capture you know frustrating faces and stuff but um no megan to the rescue and um you know the cliches out there that apparently, yeah, Dara Wright says she does that in training all the time because apparently she does do it.

31:21Ross Halls:It's not like you're just saying it for the sake of it. Apparently she does that a lot. I'm not surprised actually from what I've seen of her before because she scored some good goals at Portsmouth prior and yeah, really, really good strike and I think overall from the 90 minutes is probably a fair result, I think, a draw for the game itself and it was just a moment that was needed at the end there. And yeah, you take that and you sort of move on and sort of work on the things that didn't go well. But yeah, good start for Megan on her debut. And of course, Tom, you spoke to the goal scorer after the game.

31:58Ross Halls:Just a bit of context here. There is a lot of wind in this interview. Tom and Megan, for some reason, are in a wind tunnel. So just bear that in mind when you listen to it. Hopefully it's still usable. but here is Tom speaking to Town's goal scorer Megan Hornby after the 1-1 draw. Meg, well played today, good goal as well. How great was it to score on your debut for Town? Yeah, I think it was good. I think to start well is important but I think today is just great to the team. Yeah, I've scored a goal but that's been fantastic for the team. I wonder if we had to back up nine. Some heads might drop, but not Ipswich.

32:42So, yeah, it's really important that I credit the team for today. Yeah, brilliant. And obviously you joined from Portsmouth in the summer. How's it been since coming in? You've been welcomed in and training's going well? Yeah, absolutely. The girls have been super nice. I feel settled. And I think it's easy to come and get settled at Ipswich. Yeah. Obviously, it's a new group. You're one of 14 new signings. you've all been gelling together well first time playing out there today as a team that bond will strengthen and grow as the season goes on won't it? Yeah absolutely I think you can see today though that the bond's pretty strong already and I think it was important we got a good group of girls in that we could create that bond with and we did so to see it strong already if we're only building from that it can only get stronger and I think any stronger it's unbreakable and to get a man of the match on your first game must be really great as well personally yeah yeah but I touched on it today was a team effort you know it could have been any of the girls from the Kiefer to the back lines midfield there were some girls out there that probably a little bit unsung heroes you know they grafted they did the work I just finished off

33:59Ross Halls:yes indeed yeah Tom you're shaking your head you're not happy with some of your questions there it's just funny isn't it like Colt Chester United an infamous stadium for being really cold all season. And the one day we're like, oh, you know, it's a nice day. We'll do the interviews outside. God is like, no, you're going to get wind every time Megan speaks now. Tom, I'm going to leave you so that there's no wind. And just as the important person starts talking, I'm going to hit you with a load of wind. So learn our lesson, even if it's a lovely day. Don't do it. Just go inside. yeah especially you got those four exposed corners um and it wasn't if i remember i don't think it was that windy during the game it's just decided to be really windy it didn't even feel windy doing the interview which is why it's so surprising but there you go no yeah i know not to do that mistake i mean next time we go there it'll probably be minus two degrees and we'll all be setting scarves and coats anyway so yeah yeah yeah i think that's the only game this season will be wearing shorts and smallest jackets.

35:02Ross Halls:But next time we're back at Colchester, I'm sure we'll be wearing, as you mentioned, maybe hats and gloves and scarves and everything. But yeah, great start for Megan. And she was sort of mentioning the unsung heroes in the team. You also saw earlier presence, Tom, on some of the other Daviditons. Georgia Hunter, of course, in the back line alongside Kenzie Weir. Early thoughts on her. Once again, And it's hard to discuss all the players because not much happened. But I thought she was solid. She did what she had to do. Yeah, exactly that. She did exactly what you want a centre-back to do. Clear ball.

35:41She, you know, got her head to everything. And if in doubt, kick it out. And that's exactly what she did. You know, she cleared up a lot of loose balls at the back. just thumped him into touch, which, you know, as a centre-back, you can't really do much more than just clearing the ball. That's your main job, that, and stop people from getting goals. And, you know, I mean, the goal was a mistake. It wasn't a, you know, from the goalkeeper. It wasn't a mistake from anyone at the back. It wasn't, you know, them getting through on goal. It wasn't anything like that. It was just a, you know, a really unfortunate mistake.

36:19So did a job, did a job really confidently and well. and obviously alongside Kenzie Weir, who obviously we know about anyway, but both of them together, you know, did a really solid job.

36:32Ross Halls:Definitely. And Amy Palmer, of course, playing in the middle of the park. She's been, of course, at Southampton the last few years, and, you know, just a solid, experienced player. And, of course, a local girl, you know, she was, I think, brought up in Wyndham, Norfolk girl. So, sort of a bit of a homecoming, she sort of mentioned when she signed. and yeah, in the second half, as I mentioned, had the armband so I think she's going to maybe bring some leadership to the group. Was taking on some of the set pieces as well. Yeah, just another game where she just had to do the job and that's what she did.

37:06Yeah, I think she's one of the players that Megan is talking about in her interview about, you know, unsung heroes. She's in that position where you don't get a lot of plaudits, you know, for the job that you do because you just do it under the radar. You're there to control the game. You're there to sort of tackle, try and keep the ball, bring people into play. And she did that pretty well. There was obviously moments where a couple of passes went astray, but every single player, I think, on that pitch from both sides had that moment where they just tried to pass a ball and it just went to the opposition first game of the season.

37:45But she had a good debut. obviously took the captain's armband so clearly she's one of the leadership group in the squad which will obviously have changed quite a lot over the summer with Kyra Robertson leaving and Tash going and Pesco I'm sure would have been part of that group as well so she's clearly part of the new leadership team so experienced and had a really solid game on Sunday

38:17Ross Halls:Yeah and Megan of course scored the goal Anything else you sort of liked from her in the game I think once again she was sort of one of the main Threats in this game even just as A whole in the sort of 90 minutes And I think she's going to be definitely A player Who yeah The thing is so pesky she was fantastic She was just so you know pacey And skilful Megan's a bit different To her in that sort of role But I think she will become potentially A fan's favourite I think she's going to score some Good goals hopefully this season yeah yeah she um she is quick uh and you know you saw that when she was unfortunately it didn't happen quite as much as maybe boz or um or meg wanted wanted it to but you can see that she wanted the ball in behind uh on quite a few occasions certainly in the first half when they're playing um when they were playing you know towards the media bench it was quite clear that that sort of run is what they're after.

39:14And that will come in time, that little partnership that they'll have on that right hand wing. But she is quick and, you know, she is different to Pesk. You know, she'll probably put balls into the box a little bit more. You saw it first half. Unfortunately, there was no one on the end to get to them, but she did put a few crosses in. Whereas Pesk obviously liked to take on her marker and often got round them and posed a threat that way. So she will be different, but she shows some really good signs of being excited and just speaking to her after the game and seeing how she interacted with the media guys at the club and a couple of her teammates.

39:56She's clearly quite a character and is quite someone that the team will gel with quite well. and I think that's obviously really important to have at every club. So, yeah, really, really decent signing that one and one that's already got off the mark with a goal on her debut, player of the match on her debut, and hopefully she'll grow on that. Definitely.

40:23Ross Halls:I'm trying to think where her accent is because she's got an accent, isn't she? I don't know what... It's Northern. Northern, yeah. I'm trying to think where she was prior. Let me try to quickly find where she may have been, But I like that, though. Blackburn. She's at the Blackburn main-oriented. So, yeah, very nice. Yeah, very good. But, no, good start for her town career. Tegan McGowan, I think, will be a player that will excite but frustrate in equal measure, potentially. I think this game, I hope she would put her hands up and say, you know, she had a frustrating game in terms of like, She had a few good touches.

41:05Ross Halls:She was trying to beat Plough all the time, but maybe two times, maybe overstepped the mark in terms of maybe she'd have passed then. But she's going to be another exciting left winger in the squad, but she was frustrating at times, unfortunately, Tom. Yeah, yeah, unfortunately. I mean, she did everything well. You know, she's quick. She's pretty good on the ball when sprinting, but it was when she got to the edge of the box or to the touchline and she sort of just stopped and tried to take on often she'd have two markers on her um i don't know if that was what forest pointed out is that she you know could easily get round one so she needed two two people on her um and quite often she did get round one um but it was always that second player that stopped her and she'd often lose the ball and they'd be able to clear it up pitch um so that was a bit frustrating and i'm sure that she'll you know go ah you know it wasn't my day probably should have looked up a little bit more past it back you know laid it off to to row to hit it left footed into the box um but then there'll be occasions this season i'm sure when she does take on two players get around them and everyone you know and it'll be brilliant um so we'll just wait and see it was an okay debut but again you know it was a little bit frustrating uh at the same time but she'll be exciting and i'm sure she'll be fighting Ashworth Clifford when she's back for that left wing spot.

42:37Ross Halls:Yeah, good depth we've got on that flank. We'll cover Georgia Timms a little bit. Obviously, the other subs that come on to make their debuts were Georgia Fox on the left back, came on for Beth Rowe, Megan McIntyre, of course, and Emma Loughton as well. And I want to bring up a picture of Emma Loughton because she just reminds me of, I don't know why, Coles Goose, because he used to just wear black boots. I just like that on a player sometimes. But for a men's sort of point of view, I don't know why, when I saw her come off the bench, I was like, just remind me of Coles Goose for some reason, because of just the boots she was wearing and even just how she had her shorts and shirt as well.

43:18Ross Halls:So, yeah, I don't know if she'll be happy about that reference, but Coles Goose was a solid player. They played different roles, of course. But yeah, just my little mention there, Tom, pretty much. But that's pretty much it, really. Let's play a bit of audio, Tom. David Wright, of course, it's your town manager. You spoke to him after the game. He shares his thoughts on the result and other bits and bobs. Of course, 14 new signings for him to bet into the team. Let's hear David Wright. David, a solid point. First game of the season. What were your reflections on the game? Yeah, character, the amount of character that's in that dressing room is top.

43:58We obviously knew that from last year in terms of where we found ourselves and how the girls got themselves out of that. So we know we've got bags of it. So to go all the way and then right at the end, just to still have that quality and that real care at the end was top. Really pleasing. Yeah, and it's been a summer of a lot of change for the women's team, 14 new sign-ins, a number of players out the door. How has that been to manage from your side? Picking the team today, what did you want to get out of the new sign-ins? I think in terms of the group itself, the girls have been fantastic. I think we had a similar situation in January.

44:43We had quite a few girls come into the club, how the club works off the pitch to help them settle. and then when they come into the dressing room, how welcoming the girls are. It just enables them to settle as quickly as possible, be happy and then perform on the grass. Yeah, and the end of last season was an incredible set of results to get the team clear from relegation. You've obviously started this season with a point. Southampton away next, what are you expecting? Yeah, once again, another tough game. obviously they're a lot further along their journey than what we are so it's going to be a tough game but once again we go there full of confidence that's all we should the quality that we've got in the dressing room the confidence that we take from today we'll go to Southampton and full of confidence and put a positive performance in

45:41Ross Halls:Yeah Tom I think that's a good word actually what David used character because to be 1-0 down and not really had many shots on target. Well, that was the first shot on target. For them to really get dug in and get that goal, they get the point. And I think that's what we've got to do a lot this year is just show that character and fight to the end. And that's what they did. So, yeah, very good start to the season. Performance-wise, maybe not so much, but just to get that point, sandwich the draw, take that, move on. And there's four games to look forward to this month, Tom. but I'm just going to quickly round up the WSL2 fixtures, the results over the weekend.

46:19Ross Halls:There was a game on Friday night. Watford and Burnley played out a goalless draw. A long trip for Burnley on a Friday night, going down to Hertfordshire to take on Watford. Of course, promoted back to the second tier. Burnley, of course, promoted themselves as well. So two of the promoted teams taking on each other on a Friday night, which was a lovely goalless draw to kick off the WSL2 campaign. And then on Sunday, of course, we drew 1-1 with Forest. Durham were beaten 3-1 by Southampton. Of course, Town's next opponents. That was a 3-1 win for Southampton at Durham. They had to score a late goal.

46:54Ross Halls:Durham to get consolation to make it 3-1. Newcastle beat Wolves 2-0. Sheffield United lost 1-0 against Leicester City, of course. Got relegated. They lost in the playoff sort of final with Cholton. Of course, Cholton were running away with the league title at one stage, but in the end they had to go in a playoff game and they beat Leicester, who started their campaign with a 1-0 win. And then Sutherland beat Bristol City 4-1. So plenty of goals in that one. We're at the wrong game, Tom. We should have been in that one. Although we don't really want to travel all the way up to Sutherland because that's a long way away.

47:27Ross Halls:But yeah, open start of the season. Plenty of interesting results. And yeah, Tom, we've got some games to look forward to this month. two away games and then one game at home in the league and then a cup game at home as well against the WSL side and London City Lionesses who are spending the cash their owner is not mucking about bringing in you know players from Barcelona and co but yeah Southampton Leicester City away next up Tom and then a home game against Wolves in the league how are you feeling for those four games unfortunately we will not be able to cover the Southampton Leicester games away but of course We'll try our best to cover them in all its glory, you know, online and stuff.

48:11Ross Halls:But, yeah, interesting games to come, Tom, Southampton and Wolves especially.

48:19Yeah, it's two really tough away games. Obviously, we went to Southampton last season. Completely different circumstances, of course, but, you know, they thumped us 4-0. They, I think, will be up there this season. They've had a few seasons now at WSL2 level and they've built up a squad that can compete at the top end of the league. Obviously beating Durham, who I think Ipswich did finish above last season come the end of it. But they've again been in the WSL2 for a long time. And as David Wright said, Southampton are further along in their journey than Ipswich are. So it will be tricky. but I'm sure they'll go there with confidence after the late leveller on Sunday and try and put in a good performance.

49:14Leicester, again, a really tough away game. Obviously, just come down from the WSL. But, I mean, depending on what the score is against Southampton, if Ipswich win, then they'll go there with all the confidence in the world that they can beat anyone in this league. So it is two tough away games, but then back at Colchester, they've got one of the newly promoted sides, and I think they'll need to pick up as many points at home as they can this season. I think home games will be so important for David's team, so they need to capitalise on that, particularly when, not to diminish them, but a newly promoted side.

50:00I'm sure it was the same for every single team last season. They were thinking we need to go to Ipswich and get these points because they are a newly promoted side. That's sort of what you need to do. And now Ipswich need to be thinking that way as well. They need to go. Wolves are newly promoted. We can beat them and we should beat them, particularly at home in front of 1 ,000 people. um support on ipswich so and i don't imagine forest brought up you know a fair amount of fans with them um and fair play to them on sunday i i don't suspect wolves will do that i don't know what their women's following is like um but you know there will obviously be a very vocal ipswich crowd there always is thanks to mr wearing and his drum um which you can hear from you know from our side really clearly he's got a very loud loud voice um andrew so um they'll you know they'll be bang up for it the girls will be bang up for it and you know especially if they go to southampton and leicester and come away with you know maybe four points from those two games they'll be you know really you know really pleased and confidence will be so high um and then obviously in the cup I think they faced London City Lionesses at home last season as well.

51:21I can't remember what the score was. I think that was the goal that Ruby Seabee scored first, or that might have been Leicester. I can't remember. But they're obviously really going for it in the WSL. I think I saw that the owner had done an interview with BBC Sport or something. I hadn't listened to the entirety of it, but I know that she was like, we're going for it. We want to be one of the best women's teams in the country. have fair play to them. We'll see what that's like. Obviously, it is not only a cup game, but it's a chance to test yourselves against WSL opposition, see how the squad is faring.

52:02I'm sure David will make some changes anyway to the squad and give maybe some fringe players some minutes and a start here and there across the three games that they play. so you know if they can come away with uh seven points from the three league games that's a brilliant turnaround uh they need i think they should be beating wolves um at home and just see what they can do against sunderland and sunderland southampton and uh and leicester and you know come the end of september if they're still you know top half of the table then you know i think they can consider themselves having a really good start to the season.

52:47Ross Halls:Definitely. And, yeah, it was a 2-0 defeat against London City Lionesses, so it must have been the Leicester game where Ruby Seavey scored that goal. But, yeah, it's exciting. I think this time last year was obviously exciting because it was the first time we were playing WSL 2-4, but I think because we lost that game 4-0 against Southampton, it was like, oh, it's going to be a tough season, isn't it? And, unfortunately, it was for a little period. but yeah Southampton Leicester are going to be tough games so of course it will be the Amy Palmer derby when we go to Southampton playing against her former side and then yeah Leicester of course you just don't know what they're going to be like they had a play sent off actually on their first game when they won 1-0 so it's going to be interesting but yeah some big games to come unfortunately we won't be able to go to Southampton Leicester to cover it but we'll be back for a podcast after the Wolves game potentially or the London City-Lionesses game.

53:43Ross Halls:We'll decide if we feel like we want to reflect after a cup game or a league game. Thank you very much, Tom, for joining me. Any other business from you? It's been good to come back to bring you a big Tracker Girls Talk podcast. Nearly an hour here to discuss all things Eastern Town Women. Hope you've enjoyed. Let us know your thoughts, your feelings in the comments down below. We've got a few plans up our sleeves for hopefully some interviews and other bits and bobs we're going to do covering the Tracker Girls this season. But yeah, Tom, anything else you want to mention, my friend? No, I don't think so.

54:14Just, you know, delighted that it's back. Normal football season is back. You know, the World Cup is great and all, but there's nothing quite like watching, you know, your local teams play. And it was great to see so many people at the Job Serve on Sunday as well. Obviously, first game of the season. There's a lot of excitement in the air, especially after how they finished last season. So, yeah, no, just delighted to be back. Obviously, great to be back on the podcast again after a little break and very ready to cover the girls this season.

54:49Ross Halls:Definitely, my friend. Yeah, we're not going to promise how many times we're going to bring you these series, but hopefully it'll be at least a monthly show and hopefully maybe other specials and stuff like that. But we'll likely be back after the Wolves or London City Lionesses, which is a mouthful, isn't it? London City Lionesses, big mouthful indeed. But yeah, thank you for joining me, Tom. Thanks to everyone for listening and watching the latest Kings of England Tracta Girls Talk podcast sponsored by Molecular UK. And we'll see you in the next one. Bye-bye for now.

55:44Thank you.

56:15Thank you.

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