Gillingham’s Fliss Gibbons chose to credit her team’s performance, rather that her individual brilliance, after being named the SSE Women’s FA Cup player of the first round.
The 22-year-old forward bagged four goals as Gills beat Southampton Saints 7-1 in the first round.Gibbons, now in her second spell with the club, was chosen from more than 50 teams and selected as player of the round by a panel of three women’s football experts.
Gills were back in training as they continue their FA Women’s Premier League campaign, and manager Jack Wheeler presented Gibbons with the trophy at their training ground at the Victory Academy, in Chatham.
“It feels good, I had no idea I’d been nominated, or won, until Jack rung me on Monday, but I’m so pleased with it,” said Gibbons.
“I was really happy with the four goals, really pleased, it was a really good team performance.
“We do create a lot of chances generally during games, so it was nice that we were clinical as a team and me on a personal level.”
Gills made it into the first round after a 7-0 win over Aylesford Ladies, and booked their place in the second – where they will face Tottenham Hotspur – after a Charlotte Gurr double and a volley from Jay Blackie added to Gibbons’ quadruple, helping them to seventh heaven once again.
And Ditton’s Gibbons – who works with disabled children at a secondary school – is relishing Gills’ trip to north London in round two.
"The win fills us with confidence going into the next round. It was a solid performance,” added the former Millwall Lioness.
"We’ve got a difficult draw in the next round. We know it’s going to be a difficult game, but we’ve got nothing to lose, so we’ll be confident going into it.
"We take every game as it comes, but we want to go as far as we can in the FA Cup. We’ve already said that it is a focus of ours, to get as far as we can, regardless of opposition.”
The final of the competition, proudly sponsored by SSE, will once again take place at Wembley Stadium, on Saturday 13 May, with children going for free.
Tickets are now on sale and SSE will be running a money-can’t-buy experience for their customers at the final, but Wheeler hopes his side will earn their own place at the event, rather than needing tickets.
“The Cup is one of our priorities, and something that keeps the girls striving to get better and go as far as we can,” he said.
“For us to win it, it might be a little bit far off, but we’ll definitely give it a go.”
Tickets are now on sale for the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final on Saturday 13 May at Wembley Stadium connected by EE. For the second consecutive year, kids go free to the final. Click here to purchase tickets
