Gateshead Ladies hope to get back to winning ways

Gateshead Ladies’ assistant boss believes his side’s aims have not changed despite two recent defeats.

Gateshead Ladies won their first three games of the season. However, after encountering some bad luck with injuries they have lost their last two, including a 9-0 defeat against Norton and Stockton Ancients reserves.

They currently sit third in the North East Women’s Football League North, having finished in seventh last campaign.

Assistant manager Thomas Kelly-Hansford does not want to let the injuries be an excuse for the recent poor performances, saying: “you try to not let it change the aims.”

The injuries have allowed for younger players to step up and make their mark with several 16 year old’s making their first team debuts over the last few months.

Kelly-Hansford said: “If we can just build on last season, that’s success. We want to kick up the league table, but we are also working hard to build a solid foundation for the future.”

With high hopes from building from the structure they had last year he is also wanting to build a “better environment.”  and admitted the team dynamics last season “weren’t as good.”

He added: “Whereas now the group is really good, it’s really positive and they all want to learn, you want to play and enjoy it.”

Kelly-Hansford described the team as a “long term project.” With the team missing most of their starting players, they are always looking to rotate their squad and to develop more players to help build on what they already have. 

Hansford added: “I’m confident we get back to winning ways soon.”

Gateshead Ladies are back in action this weekend as they travel to face fourth place Wallsend Women’s Reserves away from home.