Anouk Denton admitted West Ham United Women are suffering from a lack of confidence after their narrow 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.
It was the Hammers’ seventh defeat in their last nine Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) matches, whilst the team are still in search of their first league victory of 2023.
And against the Albion, they struggled for clear cut chances, with Dagný Brynjarsdóttir’s half-volley that was cleared off the line by Zoe Morse the only shot on target of the day.
In truth, it was a game that lacked big moments, but Melissa Phillips’ team took their golden opportunity when it arrived, with Julia Zigotti reclaiming possession on the edge of the Hammers area, which allowed Katie Robinson to pick out Kayleigh Green with a cross that she headed beyond Arnold.
Denton was making her first start since rejoining the Club back in January, and while she was pleased to get her opportunity, she was unhappy with the full-time result.
“We’re really disappointed that we weren’t able to come away with anything,” she told whufc.com at the full-time whistle. “It was a tough match for the team, we’re coming off the back of a really poor run of results and confidence is low at the moment. We just need to make sure that we stick together as a group and find the confidence that we had as we navigate the final three matches of the season.
“For me personally, it was great to make my first start. I’ve had a couple of appearances as a sub and it’s nice to know that the hard work I’m putting in has been noticed by the staff and that I did enough to warrant being put in.”
The Hammers will take on Chelsea, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur in their final three matches as the WSL season reaches its conclusion.
Denton hopes that the team can turn their form around in the final three games, starting against the title-chasing Blues on Wednesday 17 May.
She continued: “We know it’s going to be really difficult against Chelsea, we just have to give 100% and work hard for each other. We know that we have quality, it’s about getting our confidence back and giving it a real go in the final three matches of the season.
“A run like this is something that I haven’t experienced previously in my career, it’s not nice and we’re all desperate for results to change. We have an opportunity to do that and finish the season positively, and that’s what everyone at the Club is striving to do.”
