Features, Ian Varley

Varley: We have a chance

Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on April 26, 2011

Ian Varley leads his side into a crucial final game of the season on Wednesday evening at home to West Ham.

Lose and Ian knows that his side could face a play-off game to stay in the Southern Premiership for a second season, win and they should stay up.

Speaking ahead of the game, Ian said: “I think we are going to have to win to stay up that is what I am looking at, I can’t see QPR beating Charlton so it shouldhopefully come down to Wednesday now.

“If we can take the form into the game and play similarly to what we did against Charlton last week, we will utimately score some goals and win the game.

“The pleasing thing was that we created chances and we looked dangerous especially in the first half, I think it died off a little bit in the second half. We have got to be more consistent over 90 minutes but we did cause them a lot of problems for a team that hasn’t conceded many.”

The Ladies have some great quality players and the West Ham game maybe more important than any Cup final in terms of putting on a performance.

He added: “I think if we had to have one game to stay up and that we had to win it then we would take it. The girls will be fine and obviously we will be a little bit nervous but that is what you need sometimes in football.

“I think that as long as we know what we need to do, which we will do come Wednesday then it will help and hopefully we can go out and do it.”

Like the Ladies the Hammers are going through a tough run of form and are minus their goalkeeper as well through suspension but that won’t make the game any easier.

He said: “They haven’t really won for a few games bar Sunday, so they are on a downwood spiral although they did us a favour at the weekend. We did ok up at their place in the last game and were two-nil down early on through two set pieces, but we should have got something from the game.

“Most teams in this League are similar and the difference with Charlton on Wednesday was Gemma Bryan, if you can score goals at this level then it helps especially when the League is so tight.”

At the start of the season Ian didn’t think that his side would come down to the last day of the season and being in a relegation battle.

He added: “I never expected it and I think it is because it is only a ten team League and there are no poor teams in this League, I think that is the biggest thing.

“You look at the Northern League and there are two poor teams who have been bottom for a while, this is a very level playing field and if you don’t put it together then you will be down the bottom.”

The Ladies seem to be following in their male counterparts by doing things the hard way, but it is something that seems to run through the Club over the years.

He said: “I would rather it had been done and dusted by now but like I said if we had won game to do it then at least we have a chance to go and do it than already be down.”