Football
Chris Holloway delighted after making winning start

Buy photos » New Coventry City Ladies manager Chris Holloway got off to a winning start against Cardiff City Ladies on Sunday. (s) Photo by Marc Evans

CHRIS Holloway could not hide his delighted after watching his side come from behind to beat Cardiff City Ladies in his first game in charge of Coventry City Ladies.

The Sky Blues fell behind to Ellie Smith’s opener at the Bedworth Oval on Sunday but Danni Saulter netted five minutes before half-time and Courtney Sweetman-Kirk scored a last-minute winner to give Holloway his first win in the Premier League National Division.

The win moves Holloway's side up to fourth in the league standings and the new gaffer feels there is still a lot more to come from his injury-plagued side.

"I was overjoyed to get all three points on Sunday," Chris told the Observer.

"We had to dig deep because it was a very tough game for us but I felt we competed very well and I was very pleased with the team's character when we went 1-0 down.

"I wouldn't have been happy if the game had finished 1-1. That is not the result we would have wanted.

"The pleasing thing for me was the girls showed they are not going to be beaten without a fight and they are up for the battle."

Up next for Coventry is a short trip to Knowle where they begin their defence of the Birmingham FA Women’s County Cup on Sunday.

And Holloway hinted at the possibility of resting a few of his key players in preparation for three tough league fixtures against Leeds United, Sunderland and Portsmouth in the build up to Christmas.

He added: "I've only been here just over a week so it will give me an opportunity to see some of the more fringe players in my squad and it will allow me to give some of the more senior players in the first team a rest.

"We have shown glimpses of what we are capable of and – as we know – the Christmas period is a tough one at all levels.

"All games are tough at this level as different teams bring different problems and challenges to face.

"All we will do is concentrate on what we are trying to achieve and give it our all."

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