Beard pays tribute to Liverpool

30 September 2013 10:31

Delighted Liverpool manager Matt Beard hailed his side as deserving winners of the FA Women's Super League title after seeing them beat Bristol Academy 2-0 in Sunday's winner-takes-all clash at the Halton Stadium in Widnes.

Hosts Liverpool went into the game holding a two-point lead over second-placed Bristol with both teams looking to be crowned champions for the first time after Arsenal's nine-year domination of the women's game was finally brought to an end.

And it was the Merseysiders who claimed the spoils thanks to goals in either half from Louise Fors, from the penalty spot, and Katrin Omarsdottir.

It is a remarkable turnaround for Liverpool after they finished bottom of the table last year and Beard believes their success is fully merited following a major overhaul before the start of the season.

He told BT Sport: "I'm delighted, I'm chuffed for the players because all season they've been fantastic. They deserve that, unbelievable, great performance today. I felt we thoroughly deserved the three points.

"We've a completely new squad that we've built together, and they just deserve the utmost respect and credit for what they've achieved this year.

"It just shows that if you get the right characters in and you've got that mindset and work hard, you can achieve anything."

Beard felt that Fors' 37th-minute opener from the penalty spot, awarded after Nicole Rolser had been brought down just inside the area by Alex Windell, was a big moment for his side.

"It took the pressure off us a little bit because we had one or two chances before then that maybe we should have scored and it was important to get that first goal," Beard said.

Omarsdottir then wrapped up a well-earned victory with Liverpool's second 12 minutes from time, the Iceland international drilling home from 12 yards after England striker Natasha Dowie had chested down a deep free-kick.

Source: PA