Feature Interviews, Features
Varley: It was very comfortable
Published by Gillingham Ladies Media on October 10, 2011
Ian Varley was pleased to see his side bounce back this weekend and earn a point against top of the table West Ham.
The Gills probably had the better of the chances throughout the match and could have had all three points bar a wonder save from Nikki Duncan in goal for West Ham.
Speaking after the game, Ian said: “I would have taken a point before the game against the best team in the League.
“We created a couple of chances and they had that one volley, I said to the girls that I am really pleased with the result. In terms of the last two years we are starting to feel like we should be in the top five in the League.
“We looked comfortable very comfortable today and we defended really well, we need to have a little bit more belief now when we go forward. We have got it in the team and we just need to make it happen now, if we can do that we can become a force.”
The Gills defence held firm this afternoon and restricted West Ham to mainly long range efforts at goal which Ian is happy with.
He added: “With Sarah Quantrill in goal I am quite happy with that as she will save everything. They had one good shot which troubled her a little bit, but she pulled good save out. If teams are going to shoot from thirty yards I would expect her to save it.
“She was flawless today her handling from crosses and her kicking and I think it does prove that you do need a good keeper. I thought the back three of Sian, Jonesy and Dea were phenomenal and Loz and DC did two different roles either side of the half way line and they were outstanding as were the whole team.”
Last season the Gills would probably have lost a game that was 0-0 going into the last minutes which is a testament to the improvement this season.
Ian said: “I said this to the girls that last year we might well have switched off and lost that game and although we have experience we are now getting experience of playing together.
“Towards the end we have seen the game out comfortably defensively and we were looking to nick a goal on the break. We didn’t want to lose the game and it would have been demoralising to have lost that one.
“I think we controlled the whole game, it was very comfortable and I think it is the most comfortable that I have felt on the bench from a long time.
“We didn’t draw many games last season, and we have drawn a couple of games already this season like Tottenham away. Today we should have won but took a point, last year there were games we should have won and lost them.
“We have taken some decent points lately; we took a point at Tottenham beat Millwall and Keynsham and have taken a point against West Ham. I am delighted and to be honest it is the happiest I have been for a while.”
