COVENTRY United Ladies manager Jay Bradford insists her team need to be “at the races” when they host Bristol City on Monday night.
The Red and Greens conceded in the fifth minute of injury-time as they lost 3-2 to Blackburn Rovers in their last outing having fought back from two-nil down to draw level.
Defeat for Bradford’s side leaves them in 11th place in the FA Women’s Championship having lost six of their seven games so far this season.
Up next for Coventry is a tough home match with Bristol City – who were relegated from the Women’s Super League last term.
And Bradford insists her side need to be ready for the challenge against a Bristol side who put five past Sheffield United last weekend.
Bradford said: “It’s going to be a tough fixture – they’ve just come down into the league – they’re showing their dominance, they had a fantastic result last weekend against Sheffield United.
“We’ve just got to be ready for the quality that they bring and make sure that we’re at the races.
“Their tails are up and they’re full of confidence – we just have to focus on ourselves.”
United were desperately unlucky not to come away with their second point of the season in their last outing after Ellie Leek’s 95th minute winner condemned them to defeat.
The visitors had miraculously recovered from two-nil down in the final five minutes thanks to an 85th minute goal through Rio Hardy and a 92nd minute equaliser from Katie Wilkinson.
Saffron Jordan’s 10th minute penalty and Farah Crompton’s goal on 63 minutes had Blackburn in control for much of the match before Leek’s last gasp winner.
Bradford added: “We’ve played better, we’ve kept the ball better but to come back into the game in the way that we did showed real character on our part.
“We were dominant for the period when we got the two goals – it’s a huge positive for us – but I’d like to see it for longer periods of time and in a more sustained manner.
“We gave Blackburn a really torrid time leading up to our two goals – they probably thought the game was done – we didn’t stop, it’s just disappointing that we didn’t manage to come home with anything.
“I was disappointed because we had clawed our way back into the game and you think you’re going home with a point.
“It’a an error from our keeper and she’s got to deal with that as an individual but she’s also kept us in the game with four or five superb saves – there’s no blame coming from me to her.
“There’s other elements to that goal that we have to deal with and do better for us not to be in that position.”
Coventry host Bristol on Monday, November 8 with kick-off at 7:45pm at Butts Park Arena.
