Centre back Danica Revells’s praise for new signings and captain Rosey Sullivan

The West Ham Ladies have had a fantastic start to 2013, comfortably beating London Corinthians away in the cup and Gillingham away in league.

The Ladies return to cup action this weekend at home to Witham Town where they hope to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to five games.

Speaking exclusively to Blowing Bubbles, centre back Danica Revell has been delighted with how the side has started the year after a frustrating end to 2012 where the Ladies endured a run of cancelled games because of the weather.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

She has also been pleased to see the Ladies’ new signings get the chance to show what they can offer the team.

Reflecting on the Ladies season, she said: “We have had games where we haven’t played up to the high standards we know we are capable of but most of the time we’ve done really well this season. We’ve got great team spirit.”

The return of striker Kelley Blanchflower has also pleased the centre half. Kelley broke her collarbone during the Ladies’ 2-0 win at QPR in September.

“Kel has been training really hard and was doing really well in training before she got back in the team,” Danica continued.
“I’m delighted to see her come back. It’s a huge boost for us because we will need her scoring goals to help with our push for promotion.”

She added: “We’re still very much in the fight for promotion and hopefully, fingers crossed, we will get it. If we keep putting in the hard effort and not let it slip, then we will be pushing for promotion right till the end of the season.”

Danica’s partnership with captain Rosey Sullivan has been the subject of huge praise from her teammates as have their individual performances.

“I have a great partnership with Rosey,” Danica said. “We’ve played together for a couple of years now and we also went to the academy at Leyton Orient.

“We know each other’s game, inside out and play the same way. We also get along really well, which I think has been key to some of our performances this season.”

Since joining the Hammers back in the summer of 2010, Danica feels her time with the club has been the best period of her career so far, highlighted by being named West Ham United Ladies ‘Young Player of the Year’ last season.

She concluded: “I feel that I am developing towards my full potential and have found my place within the team. I am thoroughly enjoying being part of the West Ham team. We all get on very well and although we train extremely hard, we also have a lot of laughs throughout training.”

From hero to hospital: West Ham Ladies striker Kelley Blanchflower

West Ham Ladies picked up three valuable points in their last league outing away at QPR but, despite scoring, striker Kelley Blanchflower was left bitterly disappointed.

The 19-year-old was still buzzing after scoring her first goal of the season when, just before half time, she broke her collar bone after pouncing on a loose ball on the edge of the QPR penalty box and being fouled by a QPR player.

The former Arsenal player will now watch from the stands for six weeks while she recovers.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

“I’ve got mixed emotions about the QPR game,” she said. “Last year I had scored a few more goals at this stage of the season and I had been getting frustrated so when I scored, I was really happy.

“But then just before half time, this girl took me out from behind, I landed on my shoulder and broke my collarbone. I was then taken to hospital but found out later the girls had seen out the game and at the end of the day, the most important thing was to get the three points.

“I was a bit upset that I got injured because I worked hard in pre-season to get fit and then this happens so early into the season.

“I’ve been told I will be out for six weeks but I might be back earlier and as far as injuries go six weeks is not that long.”

Blanchflower had set herself a target of netting 20 goals this season but now accepts she will struggle to hit that with six weeks off injured.

She continued: “I’m also not expecting to walk back into the team. If someone else is playing well and scoring goals then I can’t complain.

“I will just have to focus on training hard and fight to get my place back. I just want to get back on the pitch.”

 Asked who has impressed her so far this season, Blanchflower replied: “Our goalkeeper Toni. I’ve never played with her before but whenever she is called into action she is really good.

“I’ve also been impressed with Stacey Little. She has been so dominant in the middle, winning everything in the air and controlling the midfield. Plus she scored an amazing header against Spurs which saved us.”

Looking ahead to the Ladies’ next game against Watford in the League Cup, the striker continued: “It will be a tough game. We played them during preseason and because they struggled last season, we thought we stood a good chance of beating them or at least getting a draw and they beat us comfortably which was a bit of a reality check. But on our day we can give anyone a game.”

Sunday’s clash against Watford will take place at 2pm at Berkhamsted FC, Broadwater, Lower Kings Road, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2AL