Albion Women head coach Siobhan Hodgetts-Still believes her side showed "togetherness" in their Adobe Women’s FA Cup 7-0 defeat to holders Manchester United on Saturday.
The Baggies kept the tie close with a battling display at Leigh Sports Village, but were ultimately undone by a flurry of goals from the Women’s Super League outfit during the last 12 minutes.
Despite the result, Hodgetts-Still was proud to see her team show fighting spirit and determination to hold their own in a testing environment against international footballers.
“We should be proud of that performance,” she said. “I think the effort and the attitude, to keep going and keep fighting right until the end was class from the players.
“We asked them to stay in the game and they did that for 77 minutes. It was one nil and those 15, 20 minutes afterwards, we saw some tired legs.
“Overall, I think we can take some positives from that performance and bring it into the into the league. We spoke about that togetherness, communication and I thought we saw that out there today.
“I thought that their effort and attitude to keep going was brilliant right until the end. I don't think it was a seven-nil game, but that’s football. It can hurt and hurt you at any time.”
Goalkeeper Anna Miller made some key stops in the fourth-round tie and she agreed team spirit was crucial to keeping the opposition at bay for such a long time.
She said: “We were all really up to it today. Everyone was really excited and it was a big occasion against a big team to play against.
“We kept the scoreline down until the 77th minute. They’re a full-time side, they train every day, we all have full-time jobs, and to keep that level until that last 15 minutes is really good. We can certainly be proud.
“I think we grafted. We can take that into the league.
“I know a seven-goal loss is difficult to take, but everyone went into the changing room with their heads up. We got behind each other, we’re a team and I’m proud of how we played today.
“We have to stick together to get through games like this. We had to get behind each other in the game against Wolves before Christmas.
“That clicked again before this game, everyone is part of this one team. It’s something great to be a part of.”
Attentions now turn back to the FA Women’s National League North as a trip to Halifax awaits next weekend, with Hodgetts-Still keen to take the positives into that one.
“I just said we've got to take some positives from the United game,” the boss said. “That shift that they just put in for 77 minutes against a team like Manchester United, we have to use that moving forward.
“We need to find out now what we can do in the league. I think for us now, let's go and kick on to try and get those points on the board and get to where we want to get to.”
