Olivia Holdt’s superb strike seven minutes before the break proved to be the difference in the contest as we picked up our first victory of the newly reformed league phase of the competition.
However, unlike our previous games in the WSL, where we scored 11 goals in two games, we had to dig deep in the closing stages as the Seagulls pushed for an equaliser, but we withstood any late pressure to register our third consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
Speaking to us after the game, Martin told us: “A gritty performance, a little bit different to what we're usually like. I thought we had some really good spells with the ball. We just didn't execute enough in the second half compared to the first. I thought we got into some really good positions in the first half, but we just lacked in front of goal.
“We've just got to be ruthless and finish, and I don't think we were. But yes, we got a good opportunity, Oli finishes it and puts us in the lead. There were maybe some other chances in the first half, and the second half was more of a gritty performance. We were too loose with the ball. We made it too transitional.
“I thought we defended large parts of the box well. The most important thing is to ask the players to win the game, give us three points, and they've done that.
“I think you always want to be good with the ball, and you want to obviously excite with the ball, but we have to show a side of us where we are willing to work hard, bite down, be aggressive off the ball, be good in the duel, make sure that we're organised, defend the box when we have to do it properly and make sure we put ourselves in front of the ball. I thought we'd done that really well.”
With six games to be played in this new format of the competition and only the top eight teams progressing to the knockout stages, Martin spoke about the importance of getting that first win on the board.
“We need to rest and recover now, but I think in this new format we've got in the Players Cup, you need to make sure that you win games so you finish in those top spots and qualify for that next part.
“We need to win all of our games. We want to make sure we do that in a good way, but we've also got to make sure we do it with the right identity at the same time.”