‘It felt like we were in complete control’

Leah Williamson hailed our performance at the City Ground on Saturday, despite being denied a record sixth Continental League Cup by Chelsea.

The England international flourished in a defensive midfield role and netted our equaliser in the 85th minute, before Bethany England tapped home a winner for the Blues in injury time.

We spoke to Williamson at full-time and this is what she said:

on the defeat…

I don’t think you could have asked any more of anyone. Literally, total domination of a game, and then you lose. I just had the conversation, ‘would you rather dominate and lose or not have the best game and win?’ At the end of the day it’s silverware so I wished we’d won the game but don’t know the answer, or how we’d have done anymore, apart from put the ball in the back of the net.

on our reaction to their first goal…

I might be slightly biased and I haven’t watched it back yet, but as soon as the goal went in for them, it felt like we were in complete control. It’s really disappointing, but compared to the last game against them, and also in the circumstances it’s not easy when things haven’t gone your way, but it’s about just dealing with it and coming out the other side. That’s what we did with an almost depleted squad and all those things that come with football. Injuries and circumstances, but what I think you saw was literally what we could have given and on another day, a couple of those chances go in and you take home the trophy.

on the second half performance and her goal…

I always seem to score and we lose, so it’s a bit bittersweet. Getting the equaliser late on, you could feel it coming, I certainly could and to not see it out is something we’ll have to analyse and go through. I just think after getting an equaliser I would have taken extra-time and anything. I would have played that game continuously and hoped we’d have won in the end. I really thought that was going to happen and I’m bitterly disappointed.

on Chelsea’s late winner…

Playing the way that we did and in that game, I’d have played that game forever because we felt so in control. I had a great time on the pitch, and finals are all about being your best on the pitch and we actually were. They defended well, saw out their 1-0 lead for a long time and scoring late on too. To deal with that emotion for them is obviously really good, then to come back and actually clinch it, but I just thought it was going to be ours.

By Sam Cox