Every Word from Matt Beard After Rugby Borough 0-2 Liverpool

Liverpool FC Women manager Matt Beard praised his team’s discipline and professionalism after they secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Rugby Borough in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup fifth round.

The Reds advanced to the quarter-finals thanks to late goals from Marie Höbinger and Mia Enderby, but the win didn’t come without its challenges.

Speaking after the match, Beard reflected on the difficulties of facing a lower-league side away from home.

“These are always tricky games, especially when you come away from home on a surface we’re not used to playing on,” he said. “It’s quite a small pitch as well. We prepared the players all week for a tough game, and I felt we were disciplined and professional.”

The manager also highlighted the challenging weather conditions at Nationwide Windows Arena. “It’s freezing cold, and the wind made it difficult for both sides,” Beard explained. “It was just about getting through to the next round today, and I’m pleased we managed to do that.”

The breakthrough came in the 84th minute when Marie Höbinger unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box to break Rugby Borough’s resistance. Beard praised the midfielder’s quality, saying, “We hit the post in the first half, and Leanne Kiernan hit the underside of the bar just before the goal. We know Marie can do that—she’s a fantastic striker of the ball, and it was a fantastic finish.”

Beard made four tactical substitutions at halftime, shifting to a more attacking system to unlock Rugby Borough’s defense. He explained the reasoning behind the changes:

“We didn’t create enough in the first half, so we changed the system. We wanted ball carriers like Leanne Kiernan, Lucy Parry, and Mia Enderby to cause them problems. We also wanted two No.10s in the pockets, and Marie and Julia Bartel are so good in those areas. It worked, and we created more chances.”

The manager was pleased with how his team adapted to the challenges of the game. “I thought we were disciplined and professional,” he said. “It’s never easy in these types of games, but the players stuck to the task and got the job done.”

With the win, Liverpool secured their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals, which will be played on March 9. The Reds will now await the draw as they continue their pursuit of silverware this season.