Aberdeen Women midfielder Eva Thomson admits that a lack of confidence affected how she started the SWPL 1 season.
The midfielder has featured in all six SWPL 1 games so far this season, starting four games and making two appearances from the bench.
Aberdeen travel to Hearts on Sunday in search of their first win of the season, having picked up one point so far after a draw with Partick Thistle back in August.
Last season, as the Dons finished fifth in the top-flight, Thomson started all 26 league games that she featured in, only missing one over the course of the entire campaign.
The 18-year-old says that not starting games this term was down to confidence issues, but believes that she has since overcome that barrier.
Thomson explained: “At the start of the season, I wasn’t getting as much game time as I would have liked. I started some games and some I didn’t.
“It was to do with my own confidence. Team selection and stuff like that – it happens in football, you’re not going to start every game.
“But I’ve started the last few games and I do feel more confident.
“It just takes time – at the start of the season you’re not going to be up there confidence-wise – but as the games have progressed I do feel much better in my own game.
“Hopefully I can take that confidence into Sunday against Hearts.”
Added pressure due to being semi-professional
Thomson was an integral player for the Dons last season and was one of five players who were rewarded with a semi-professional contract.
She believes that while the contracts are “a good thing” they do bring about an element of added pressure and greater expectations.
Thomson said: “There is more pressure because people obviously know we’re on contracts, so there’s an added pressure to play well.
“And if people see that I’m not starting then they might question why I’m on a contract. The contracts are obviously a good thing but it does feel like a lot more pressure.
“This time last season we were in a better position and ended up finishing fifth, so I think just now everyone’s confidence isn’t quite there yet.
“We’ve spoken about that, and I think the reason why we’re low in the table is a big confidence thing. We need to get a win and hopefully build on that going forward.”
A win at Hearts would lift spirits
The Scotland U19 international believes the Dons can rectify their poor start to the season if they secure their first win of the campaign on Sunday against Hearts.
Aberdeen currently sit second-bottom in the league, just a point above Glasgow Women, who they play at Pittodrie on October 30.
Thomson said: “It’s not been the start we wanted. We would’ve hoped to have picked up more points – sitting second-bottom isn’t great.
“But Hearts are a team that we can go to and pick points up from. We’ve done that before against them. They’re always close games and always a tough team.
“If we can get the three points against Hearts it puts us in a really good position. After that, we have Hibs – which is a tough game – and then Glasgow Women at Pittodrie.
“We’ve got a run of games we should be winning, so getting three points on Sunday would bring our confidence back up.
“We know it’s not been the best start but we have to keep our heads up and go to Hearts this weekend and try to win.”
