Clare Hunt heaped plenty of praise on fellow defender Toko Koga after our 2-1 win against Liverpool on Sunday.
Known for her starring displays at the back so far this term, the Japan international was influential at the other end of the pitch and kick started our comeback against the Reds after Beata Olsson had fired the away side into an early lead.
Having raced up for a corner midway through the first half at Brisbane, Toko was in the right place at the right time to convert Olivia Holdt’s chipped ball into the box – netting her first goal for the Club - to get us back on level terms before Bethany England was on target in the second period to secure our fifth win of the campaign.
Moving to a completely new environment and league at the age of 19 could be a daunting experience for any player but, as she made her ninth consecutive start for us in all competitions this term, the young defender has slotted straight into the backline with ease.
Starting alongside Clare in all nine appearances so far, the defensive duo have built a formidable partnership to date, preserving five clean sheets in total, and the Australia international was full of praise for Toko’s impact.
“A well-deserved goal, although she should have had one two weeks ago,” Clare beamed with a smile, speaking to us alongside Toko after the match.
“But she has been such a bright spark for us and it’s great to play with her, she has brought a lot of composure, a lot of confidence to this team and she’s incredible defensively so, for me, it’s great to have a partner in Toko.”
The result over Liverpool has already seen us claim our fifth win of the campaign – matching our haul from the entirety of last season – and climb back up to fourth in the table.
“It’s nice to get another win at home,” Clare added. “We’ve a great track record here [at Brisbane Road] this season and we’ve enjoyed being here. It’s great to get another three points on the ladder.
“We’ve managed to come back into games or maintain those leads – that has been a big positive to take. There’s still plenty to work on but there’s plenty to look forward to next weekend and try to continue our winning ways.”
Be at the north London derby
Our next home game sees the visit of north London rivals Arsenal at Brisbane Road and and tickets are now available to buy as we look to create an electric atmosphere in E10 - secure your seat now!