Recovering from mistakes is a vital part of football - Leeds United Women captain Catherine Hamill
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We knew that we were capable of winning the game and what we needed to do to improve after the break – it was just a case of finding a way to make it happen.
The opening minutes of the tie were very scrappy. We were winning all the first balls, and then losing the seconds.
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Hide AdIf you make a mistake, it can be quite hard to get back into the game.
I watched Aston Villa against Manchester United last weekend when Emi Martinez dropped the ball to allow Bruno Fernandes to give his team the lead.
It can be tricky to recover your mindset from a moment like that.
You’ll worry about making another one, and you’ll always be aware that opponents will notice, then most likely target you as a weak link of the side – which is what I usually do if I spot someone looking a bit shaky on the opposition side.
Nobody likes letting their team-mates down.
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Hide AdAfter years of playing football, I’ve learned not to take it personally if my team-mates shout at me on the pitch.
It’s passion – we all want to win.
It’s just a case of checking in after the final whistle, then it’s usually not a big deal.
I have been trying to help the children who I coach to understand this.
I’ll get kids coming up to me in lessons and saying ‘so-and-so’s said this to me’, and I normally explain that it’s not meant and that people can get caught up in the heat of the moment. Fortunately, our half-time chat on Sunday was positive and productive.
We were 2-0 up and we wanted to protect that lead.
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Hide AdEven better, we managed to score straight from kick-off in the second half then, as the game goes on, it’s making sure the team knows how to manage it. We take our time when we are leading – throw ins, free-kicks, goal kicks!
Anything to run the clock down and we make sure that there are bodies back when we go on the attack so we’re not exposed.
It helps that our back line is protected by Kirstie Hunt, who plays as a defensive midfielder. She was excellent on Sunday, as she always is.
You don’t need to tell her when to cover as she has great awareness of her positioning, no matter where she is on the pitch.
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Hide AdI always admire midfielders – it’s very versatile to be able to defend well and score goals – Hunt has bagged a few last-minute winners for us before. She’s a strong player, and she wins every header.
It makes me and Bridie Hannon – who plays centre-back alongside me – feel safe, having her around!
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