Rising back to success identifies us - Kelly Agius Pace

by Ayrton Galea - 17th February 2017

Women's Team forward Kelly Agius Pace believes that rising back to success is a characteristic that defines the team, while expressing her satisfaction on last Tuesday's victory, by praising her team-mates for playing as a team and being the most passionate side in this big match.

Kelly needs no introduction as she has been with our Club for the last eleven years. Although she's just twenty-five years old, she's one of the most experienced players with our Club. With our Club, Kelly has won every honour that the Women's Football offer.

Her goal in last Tuesday's match meant that Hibernians' late goal was only a consolation one as the Stripes held strong for the victory to open a comfortable ten-point lead with just six matches to go. This was Birkirkara's third consecutive league victory over Hibernians.

What are your comments on the match against Hibernians?

I think the match showed the character of this group of players. It was a game that we knew we had to win to minimise the pressure for the remaining matches. We had so many chances in previous years to win the league mathematically and somehow, we always ruined our comfortableness. I think that we didn't want such trauma to be repeated.

What do you think were the reasons why we won the game?

We showed what it means to be a team and what it means to play as a team. A team who played their hearts out and were passionate to win.

You scored the second goal, that practically sealed the win. What were your feelings?

As a striker, it's always the best feeling to score any goal but scoring a goal that makes a difference did sum up my valentine's day. Knowing the struggle to be with the first-eleven, I think it gave me something to hold on too.

You have been part of the team for a long term, through ups and downs. What does it mean to be on top again?

I believe that being in this team is really like a relationship. The commitment, the arguments and the sacrifices which all in all will be blessings if we are on top and can easily break us up when we're going through our downs. Fortunately, when we suffered our worst down, we always risen back up to success and that's a characteristic that identifies us as Birkirkara FC Women's Team.

You have scored in each of the last four matches. Are you happy with your performances?

So far, so good. I can't complain but I can do better and hopefully in the remaining matches I will. At the end of the day, it's not who scores but bringing the title home is what matters.

Many consider you as the player that performs best in crunch matches. Do you agree?

I believe that I perform better under pressure. I am an extremist, I am either there or not there at all. So far, I am pleased with my performances in the crunch matches and I look forward for more.

What in your opinion is the difference from last season?

Last year we didn't win the league, however, I still believe we gave our games away. Our opponents were never superior. Unfortunately, games are not won by performances but by actual goals scored. I think that the introduction of new players filled the gaps and fitted well to the puzzle. They came with the same frame of mind and burning passion to win.

What in your opinion has been the secret to this consistent run of unbeaten matches?

I think that present situations got us players closer together. I think by now we all learnt that everything is replaceable but our chemistry is what will stand, make the difference and what will be remembered.

On another note, we lost the Super Cup against Hibernians with a 5-3 score in the beginning of the season and that was an early wake-up call that we need to work harder and extra besides our training schedule.

Do you consider this team as one of the strongest teams that Birkirkara ever had? Why?

I am never happy nor ever feel ready. I believe in development and long-term plan. I look at what we can do better than we what we have already accomplished. Whilst I believe we have a really good team and the new additions did improve the healthy competition between us, I judge by a run of successful years and not one year. If we can keep this run going, then yes, it would be the strongest team that Birkirkara FC Women's Team ever produced.

We are ten points clear with six matches to go with a realistic chance of winning the title. How are you looking at the remaining matches?

For me it is still an open race and it will be until mathematically proven otherwise. I am the last one to swallow defeat from early stages but I am also going to be most probably the last player believing that we closed it with six matches to go. Such tranquillity is very new to us and the remaining matches will be a new learning curve for us playing them with a comfortable lead.

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