Western Pride’s top goal scorer praises skilful teammates
“She’s incredible. Everyone knew she’s such a great player but she’s just so confident and reliable.’’ See why Pride’s leading goal scorer so happy at Ipswich club.
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SCORING her first hat-trick "in quite a while'' came at a terrific time for Western Pride goal ace Abbey Lloyd.
It was her 25th birthday.
However, the former Brisbane Roar W-League midfield/striker's latest contribution was also crucial.
Netting all three goals in Pride's 3-2 victory over The Gap kept her team in seventh with only a handful of games left to secure a spot in the National Premier League Women's competition.
Preparing to play Brisbane City in another crunch game in Ipswich on Sunday, Lloyd said her side's major goal was to control its own destiny.
"It's just keeping some wins under our belt and hopefully stay up in that top eight,'' she said.
Sunday's match kicks off at 5pm at the Briggs Road Sporting Complex.
Toowoomba-bred Lloyd had to sit out more than six weeks earlier this year after fracturing her left ankle and suffering ligament damage in Pride's first pre-season game.
But apart from a rest against Peninsula Power recently, she has returned strongly.
"It still gives me a bit of grief so it's just sort of managing it now,'' she said.
Lloyd's latest haul lifted her goal tally to 12 from nine NPLW games this season.
Captain Meaghan McElligott and Gladys Esquivel have seven goals each, with Kate Webb adding six.
The team's top goal scorer appreciates the tremendous group of players around her having joined Pride this season.
"Gladys is a real workhorse,'' Lloyd said.
"She's definitely a little bulldog on the field which is what we need.
"Webbie is fit as. She's one of the fittest people I know.
"Having her just running the miles in the midfield has been good.
"Meg McElligott is unreal with some of the stuff she can do. She's a bit like (Argentine great) Messi with the little close, tight touches.
"It's my first time playing with Meg and it's been awesome.
"We sort of just connected the first game we played.''
McElligott shared the sentiments with ever-dependable Lloyd.
"She's incredible,'' McElligott said.
"Everyone knew she's such a great player but she's just so confident and reliable.
"Goals are like easy for her to score. I know she's going to finish them.
"Hopefully a few more goals this weekend especially with a home game. We haven't had a home game in a few games.''
McElligott expects a testing game against Brisbane City after they released their coach this week.
"It's just the final countdown and we've got four tough games as well,'' the captain said.
"It's not easy but we think we can win it.''
However, it's players like Lloyd making a huge difference for Pride this season.
Her timely three-goal effort last weekend secured Pride their fifth win, to go with three draws and four losses.
"It's been a while since I got a hat-trick'' she said. "Probably back when I was with Roar.''
Lloyd played her junior football at high school in Toowoomba before joining the Toowoomba Raiders in the former Premier League women's competition when she was 14.
She progressed to the renamed South West Thunder when the Toowoomba side was admitted into the NPLW competition.
After that she had a year-long college stint in chilly Rochester New York, where she studied sports management.
On returning to Toowoomba, she was lured to Brisbane Roar at the end of 2016 where she played three seasons in the W-League.
That provided two highlights - being named breakthrough player of the year in 2017/18 and scoring her first two goals and sharing in a minor premiership-winning Roar side.
She's also won some Golden Boot awards in Toowoomba and with Roar for her goal scoring feats.
After her Roar experience, Lloyd had a season with Capalaba in the NPLW series before a year off due to COVID.
It was during that period she was unsure about her footballing future.
However, an initial message from Pride head coach Trent Gregson kickstarted Lloyd's interest in joining the Ipswich club.
"He was really keen to catch up and actually came into my work,'' the Oxley barber said.
"I had a few other offers. But one session with the Pride girls and all the girls were just like my type of people.
"It felt like home when I first got there.
"I didn't feel that pressure on me. I felt very comfortable I guess and Trent was awesome.''
Having support from other players like April Gleeson sealed the deal.
"It just snowballed on from there,'' Lloyd said.
The Western Pride men have the weekend off before preparing for a crunch game against Sunshine Coast on June 26.
The Ipswich Knights also have no Football Queensland Premier League 1 match this weekend. The Knights tackle South West Queensland next on June 27.
In other regional games, Western Spirit host the Brisbane Knights in Friday night's Brisbane Premier League clash.
Ipswich City and Ripley Valley also have Friday night encounters before Ipswich Cup Day on Saturday.
The Bulls play Moggill at Sutton Park with Ripley Valley travelling to Annerley for their next Capital League 1 match.
The Spirit, Bulls and Ripley Valley games kick off at 8.30pm.
Originally published as Western Pride’s top goal scorer praises skilful teammates
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