Andy Butler said he was extremely proud of his side after Sunday’s game with Wolves.
The Belles lost 1-0 to the FAWNL Division One Midlands leaders at Oxford Street, despite a superb all-round display from Butler’s side, and the manager felt his team executed their game plan perfectly.
Butler said: “They were always going to have chances, they’re a good side and are top of the league by a long way, they have a great set-up, but I’m extremely proud of a team that is starting to believe they are a good side too.
“We set out a plan of what we wanted to do over the last week, and I thought we executed that really well, they all understood their roles, the subs had an impact, and I thought we were as much of a threat going forward too.
“We didn’t see as much of the ball as we’d have liked, but you have to respect them for what they are, they’re a good side, we set our stall out to play a certain way and I think we executed it perfectly.”
Butler was full of praise after his side’s performance, and he hopes the standards set at the weekend can provide a marker for the girls to work from going forward.
“I told them after the game that they were magnificent, it was an outstanding effort from the girls, and it’s just a shame it’s one shot on the stroke of half time that has done us, every individual player kept their discipline and were superb,” he added.
“Those are the standards we’ve set now, the bar is there and we don’t want to fall below that, and I don’t think we will either, we’re getting better and better, they all want to build on this and be here, hopefully we’ll only go one way now.
“I’ve had people come up to me at full-time to say well done, not for me personally but for the team’s performance, all the credit has to go to them, the players were spot on for me and have done themselves proud.
“It just shows that the work we’re all doing, whether that’s myself and Nick, the people around the club or the players out on the pitch, everything is going really well, and we have a lot to build from.”