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Ladies 1's take on Clifton this sat

Ladies 1's take on Clifton this sat

Liz Spencer30 Jan 2015 - 19:30
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Susie Gilbert talks to Dave Wright as Reading prepare to return to league action

Reading Women are prepared for the "huge challenge" which faces them in the second half of the season starting this weekend.

Their aim is the Investec Women's League play-offs - but they have an awful lot to do if that target is to be achieved.
Blues lie seventh in the Premier Division, five points behind University of Birmingham who currently occupy fourth place.

They visit Birmingham on February 7, but this Saturday (January 3) they are off to Bristol to play second-in-the-table Clifton.
"It is a tough start to the second half of the season," said Susie Gilbert.
"Clifton are a very good side, as their position in the league shows.
When we played them earlier in the season it was an extremely tough game (Clifton won 1-0).
"We do have quite a bit to do to get into the play-offs and it is going to be a huge challenge, but we are ready for it.
"We have been working hard in training, played some practice matches and held meetings where we discussed what we want to get out of the rest of the season."

Gilbert accepts that Reading's hopes of finishing in the top three are slim with Surbiton, Clifton and Canterbury looking strongly placed with all having seven games left to play.

But the fourth spot remains up for grabs and Gilbert says that is now her team's aim.
She added: "We have two hard away games coming up, but we are ready and will be going all guns blazing as we look to pick up the wins we need to reach the play-offs."

Reading are hoping that Georgie Blackwood, who returned home to New Zealand for Christmas, will be back in the country.

The Ding's international contingent have been back in training with the Great Britain squad since early January.
Susie added: "We have extremely busy' season ahead with, most importantly, the Olympic qualifier in Valencia and then the European Championships in Lee Valley in August, which will be great to have a home tournament."

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