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

It has been a really good season so far for Hashtag United
and on Sunday, they booked their place In the Fourth
Round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup with a 3-0 victory
over Actonians Ladies, their thirteenth win in a row in all
competitions.
Tags midfielder Emma Samways has been a key
member of the team throughout the season and she was
full of praise for the team’s performance against
Actonians and hat-trick scorer Sammy Rowland in
particular, as well as relishing the chance to take on
Coventry United in the next round:
WSS: Well done on a good win on Sunday,
especially against a team which has been in
good form in recent weeks?
ES: Thank you! Yes it was a great win and we all knew
that with the FA Cup, anything can happen. Every team
we have faced in this competition have been up for the game but I think we showed a really
good team performance on Sunday to get the win. We knew Actonians have always been a
challenge for us, they have great players and them beating us last season which cost us the
league couldn’t have been better motivation for us to beat them on Sunday.
WSS: A hat-trick for Samantha Rowland, which was her second in successive
weeks, how big a boost to the team is it to have such firepower up front?
ES: Ah, what to say about Sammy! She’s been in unbelievable form at the moment and is such
a big part of this team. I think we all feel that we can deliver any type of ball to her and she will
manage to control it, twist and turn and get a shot off and more often than not, score a banger!
We don’t like to rely on any individual players in any game but I know she is a very important
player in our squad and I was so happy for her to get that FA Cup hat-trick and take home the
signed match ball.
WSS: The win against Actonians was your 13th in a row in all competitions,
confidence amongst the squad must be sky high right now?
ES: There is 100% a confidence amongst the squad but with last season, where we were on top
then subsequently finished second by one point, we don’t take anything for granted. We take
each game as it comes and they are all as important as each other. We know we can celebrate
as much as we want at the end of the season but for now, we concentrate on keeping that
winning streak and giving a good performance every week.
WSS: In the Fourth Round, you have been drawn away to Coventry United - how
much will you look forward to taking on Championship opponents when the time
comes?
ES: We are all buzzing with that draw! We knew what was at stake getting to the Fourth
Round and potentially drawing a WSL/Championship team and we’ve gone and done that! We
haven’t had a big game like this in Hashtag United’s history, I believe, so I know everyone will
be up for the challenge - and who doesn’t love an away trip!!
WSS: In the meantime this week, you have another plum Cup tie against Watford
in the League Cup on Saturday, what are your thoughts ahead of that game?
ES: I am really looking forward to playing Watford. It’s another cup competition we want to
stay in and for me, it’s the biggest test this season. It would be great to finish 2022 on a high
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