Page 14 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.29 2022-23

Norton & Stockton Ancients have had a good
season in what has been a very competitive
FAWNL Division One North and on Sunday they
completed their matches with a 2-0 win against
Merseyrail Ladies, which left them in fifth place in
the table.
Vicki Burton combines the roles of key player
and club Secretary in a club which is one of the
National League’s biggest success stories and, what
admitting their performance last week did not
match others recently, she showed great pride in
what has been the club’s best season to date at this
level and also looked forward to their County Cup
Final this coming Sunday:
WSS: Well done on your result on Sunday,
were you pleased with the team's
performance overall?
VB: I actually thought we weren’t at the races on Sunday. We started well but some of our
passing and our decision making in possession wasn’t to the levels it has been in recent weeks.
Credit to Merseyrail, they made it difficult for us, and when you’re travelling such a long
distance with the bare eleven when you’re already relegated, fair play to them for making it a
really tough contest.
WSS: The win against Merseyrail was your third in a row, without conceding a
goal, a great way to end the season for you?
VB: It’s the first time we’ve ever won three FAWNL games in a row so it’s been really positive
to finish the season on such a high and taking that form, plus the three clean sheets, into the
County Cup Final is a great boost for the squad. In terms of conceding goals, I think that’s been
our biggest area of improvement from last season; we’ve only conceded 33 this season
compared to 45 in 2021-22.
WSS: Coming off the back of great results against Leeds and Stockport,
confidence must be as high as it has been at any stage of the season?
VB: Yeah absolutely, I think a big issue for us throughout the season has been consistency. At
the moment we’re joint third in the form table behind table toppers Durham Cestria and
Newcastle, and that highlights to ourselves and to others that we are able to compete with the
best in the league.
WSS: What were the team’s aims going into the season?
VB: Every year we look to improve on the previous year, and aim for silverware in the
Durham FA County Cup.
WSS: At the moment you are in fifth place, and cannot finish any lower than
seventh, do you think that represents a good season for the club?
VB: Finishing even in 7th place will mean we finish higher than we ever have and we’re
already on the highest points total we’ve ever had. We’ve had a really young squad this season
with four of the players aged 18 and under so to have improved on all our previous seasons,
with such a young squad, is a massive positive for us as a club and the direction we are aiming
for. If we can win the County Cup on Sunday, it will have been a really great season for us.
news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk