The Barclays Women’s Super League manager and player of the month awards for February have gone to Emma Hayes and Bethany England for a second successive time.
It is the third time Hayes has won this honour this season and on this occasion she beat off competition from Manchester United’s Casey Stoney and Brighton & Hove’s Hope Powell.
Throughout February Hayes guided her side to two victories and took Manchester City all the way in a top-of-the-table clash which finished 3-3, meaning we are the only team to still be unbeaten this campaign.
Although the voting had closed and been counted before our Continental League Cup final victory last Saturday, clinching the trophy for the first time in our history will certainly be a highlight of Hayes’ month.
The winner of this award was decided by votes cast online by supporters combined with those from a panel of selected football experts.
Forward Bethany England has been in glistening form having now stretched her goal tally to 21 goals in all competitions, with 14 of those coming in the Women’s Super League. She has been leading Chelsea’s front-line and has played a pivotal part in our continued title and trophy hunt.
Team-mate Ann Katrin-Berger was nominated for the first time, along with Bristol City’s Gemma Evans, Lauren Hemp of Manchester City and Reading’s Jade Moore.
In February, England found the net four times in the WSL with two of those coming in our largest win of the term against West Ham. The Blues thumped London neighbours 8-0 and England found the target when she knocked the ball around the keeper to steer home cleverly and then in the second half rose above her marker to head powerfully home.
In our following match against Birmingham, the No.9 extended our lead to 2-0 when she rifled her effort into the back of the net. She recorded her 14th league goal against City with a sublime 25-yard strike that flew into the top corner to put us in front for the second time in a match that eventually finished all square.
The 25-year-old most recently netted a brace in the Continental League Cup final to ensure we came out as 2-1 victors against Arsenal.
Like the majority of the Blues, England is now on international duty. England and the Lionesses travelled to the USA earlier this week as they look to retain the SheBelieves Cup.
Chelsea are next in action on Sunday 15 March when we head north to face Everton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and the following week we will welcome the same opponents to Kingsmeadow. The WSL match will kick off at 2pm and tickets are priced at £9 for adults and £1 for concessions.