View: Brighton win shows summer signings are changing Tottenham Women mentality
Before Sunday 15 October, Tottenham Women hadn’t won a Women’s Super League match after conceding the opening goal since beating Aston Villa in December 2021.
Nonetheless, this dismal trend – which stretched over a run of 19 games and almost two years – came to an end at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, as Spurs came from behind to beat Brighton & Hove Albion Women 3-1.
The South Coast has been a happy hunting ground for Spurs in recent memory, having thrashed the Seagulls 8-0 last October. However, that was also their last league win on the road, having lost eight and drawn one since.
Victory over Brighton marked their second consecutive league win, and third in all competitions, and is another sign that Robert Vilahamn and the club’s new signings are beginning to change the mentality of the side after their disappointing campaign last time out, during which they spent most of the season flirting with relegation from the WSL.
Grace Clinton’s stunner, which followed Martha Thomas’ equaliser, is evidence that the new signings are making an immediate impact – with both players having joined the club from Manchester United Women during the summer.
Elizabeth Terland had put the hosts ahead inside the eighth minute but the visitors were on level terms just before half-time as Thomas reacted quickest in the box to drive home a rebound after Drew Spence’s initial strike had hit the woodwork.
It marked the Scotland international’s fourth goal of the season and saw her continue her record of scoring in every game she has played for Spurs so far.
However, Clinton saved the real talking point of the match for the 65th minute, when, with nothing on around her, she drove home a stunning shot from more than 25 yards out to put Spurs ahead and score her first WSL goal of the season, before Ria Percival wrapped up the win deep into stoppage time as Brighton committed bodies forward.
The win moves Spurs fourth in the WSL just one point off Manchester City Women, who occupy top spot, and will offer supporters plenty of optimism that this season will be better than last.
While it might be an uphill battle to maintain the position they currently find themselves in the league, the impact of their newest recruits will certainly give them confidence they can fight that battle.
In other Tottenham news, John Wenham has compared one Spurs defender with a player from the club’s greatest rivals.