GOALSCORERS BUZZING WITH WIN ON FIRST TURF OUTING

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Hometown hero Priestley & matchwinner Willis delighted with goals on historic day

2023-04-30T18:14:57.038Z

GOALSCORERS BUZZING WITH WIN ON FIRST TURF OUTING

Hometown hero Priestley & matchwinner Willis delighted with goals on historic day

2023-04-30T18:14:57.038Z

How the 2022/23 campaign unfolded for the Claret Women in stats and figures

Evie Priestley & Courtney Willis were in high spirits having written their names into the Club’s history books with the goals in Burnley FC Women’s 2-1 win over Liverpool Feds at Turf Moor.

Both already have a special affinity with the Clarets, Priestley a lifelong fan and Willis currently working in the Sports Science department alongside Vincent Kompany’s men’s team.

In a moment no one connected with the Club will forget anytime soon, Priestley netted a first-ever goal for the women at Turf Moor.

WOMEN’S SEASON REVIEW: PART TWO - Image 8

Post-match, she said: “When I scored, I just didn’t know how to react! I tried to knee slide, but it went wrong.

“It meant so much with all of my friends and family being here though. My mum actually said to me today before I left, ‘score for me at Turf’, so I’m dedicating it to her!

“We felt like the equaliser was always coming, even in the first half, and I think we deserved the result in the end because we played a lot better in the second half.

“I’ve been a Burnley fan all my life, and I’ve still got a season ticket now, so to play here at Turf and to then score was honestly just a dream.”

WOMEN’S DUO NAMED IN ‘SINCE 71’ TEAM OF THE SEASON - Image 2

Winger Willis, who today rounded off a second season in Claret & Blue as a player, went on to net the winner five minutes from time having come off the bench just four minutes earlier.

Ex-Claret Katie Thomas had handed Feds a surprise early lead in East Lancashire, but Willis remained confident the tide would turn, and was determined to have an influence on proceedings.

“It’s an incredible feeling for us just to be here and play at Turf, and I was nervous coming on to be honest! I didn’t feel pressure though, I just wanted to play how I play, and I knew that if I did then it would help us to get the right result in the end.

“I just saw the ball coming towards me and thought ‘just hit it as hard as you can’! It was really good to hear them so loud [the near 3000 crowd at Turf Moor] after my goal, but to be honest I was just more focused on then not trying to concede and making sure that I was back in shape.”

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The three points picked up secured a 3rd place finish in the Northern Premier Division of the FA Women’s National League, one higher and six points ahead of last season having played two games less with one fewer team in the division this time around.

Priestley & Willis reflected on a campaign which has also seen a County Cup triumph, with the former adding, “We’re still a young group, so next season we’re hopefully going to push on and the aim will be to win the league.

“With coming so close this year to doing it, it’ll all be about putting the building blocks in place now. We’re back in [training for pre-season] quite early I think, so there won’t be a lot of time off!”

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Willis meanwhile backed up that positivity, saying: “We’ve had a lot of new players come in this season, and a lot of change as well even mid-season.

“I think, when you consider that, we’ve done well to all click together and put performances in as we have done throughout the season, including today.

“It’s been great to see all the support we’ve had here today, and that’s support now that we know we can get going into next season as we look to strive towards the top of this league again.”