Plenty Of New Year Cheer For Ladies

Everton Ladies can head into 2018 knowing there are “exciting times ahead”, according to Angharad James.

- Hamish Dufton

The midfielder was one of the standout performers in the Blue Girls’ final game of 2017, in which Reading cruelly edged them out of the Continental Cup on penalties.

The Royals have carefully amassed a strong squad filled with England internationals like Fara Williams and Jo Potter, and are one of the most in-form sides in the country. But in James they found themselves up against a nuisance as she set about snuffing out any potential threats in the middle of the park.

That helped the Toffees go toe-to-toe with their more established opponents, as they have done all season so far, and they were unfortunate to lose out on spot-kicks after Chloe Kelly had cancelled out Kirsty Linnett’s extra-time opener. And that, insists James, bodes well for the future.