Ashleigh Neville: “The girls were amazing… it’s a dream come true”
Mon 15 April 2024, 11:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
It has been some journey for Ashleigh Neville.
Becoming a Lilywhite while we were competing in the FA Women’s Championship in July, 2017, to, seven years later, set to play in our first-ever Adobe Women’s FA Cup final after beating Leicester City 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Taking time to reflect on what we achieved on Sunday afternoon after a gruelling 90 minutes plus extra time in N17, ‘Ash’ jokingly said: “I’m tired, very tired.”
Jutta Rantala’s opener was cancelled out by Jess Naz with a composed finish in the closing stages of normal time before Martha Thomas stepped up to the occasion with an historic winner in the 118th-minute.
Speaking to The Review Show after the game, it was no surprise to see our number 29 beaming with a smile.
“We did it in the quarter-final and then to do it again in the semi-final, I was just like ‘please, just not penalties’. But the girls were amazing and to come back from 1-0 down to go into the final, it’s a dream come true,” she added.
“I know we have some great penalty takers and it depends on the day but I know we were the better team, we dug deep and came back from 1-0 down and, I think, we deserved the win.
“It’s crazy,” when asked about where the Club, and herself, has come from. “Sarah, our physio, texted me in the morning and said ‘look where we are, we are in the semi-final of the FA Cup' and now we are that one step closer.
“It has been hard work, not easy at all, but you can see as a Club that we have grown and grown, but everyone who is here now deserves to go to that final and play at Wembley.”
Watch - Those post-match dressing room celebrations
A large crowd were in attendance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to witness further history being made, including her own family in the stands, and was delighted to get the victory for them.
“I mean, there’s about 20 of my family in the stands somewhere but the little ones are on the pitch as they love seeing the girls. It was great to see so many people here today,” she said.
“For me, personally, I try not to look at the crowd until the end and then you look at how many were here supporting us and it was great, and great that we could get the win. I just knew that, even when we were at 1-0 down, we had so much time and we had chances before they scored and, I think, it was against momentum when they got their goal, but I had the belief in all the players that they would get us over the line. It took a lot, but we got there eventually.”
The final takes place on Sunday 12 May at Wembley and Ash is excited to step out on the pitch there.
“I can’t believe that we are there, it’s mad,” she smiled. “I know some of the players have played there before, the internationals they play there more regularly, but, for me, being an oldie, it’s a dream come true to go there and play.”
