ELLIE Isaac, Launceston, has endured a difficult first season with Women’s Super League Two side Yeovil Town Ladies after an injury plagued second half of the campaign kept her out of action for all but the final three games.

After a successful first half of the season in the League, Yeovil Town Ladies FC fell short of the mark in the second half and finished a disappointing fourth out of ten in the second tier of women’s football.

But to call fourth disappointing is a sign of how far the club’s come recently — the year before they would admit they were extremely happy with a fifth place finish.

The Glovers fell away in the second half of the season, dropping points to teams languishing at the bottom of the table.

Coupled with a difficult run-in in the Conti Tyres Cup — the cup competition in which teams from the two WSL leagues compete in a tournament format — good form was hard to find.

When Reading FC Women and Doncaster Rovers Belles pulled away and near enough confirmed promotion with a month to go, Yeovil looked sure to secure third place. But a run of losses saw Everton Ladies FC — relegated from WSL1 last season — catch them and eventually finish third on goal difference.

Despite the disappointment, it’s still Yeovil’s best ever finish since the WSL leagues were introduced and to be in contention for promotion for most of the season was a huge achievement.

22-year-old Ellie is already focussed on a better campaign next year and hopes that she stays injury-free as she targets promotion to the top tier of women’s football.

Ellie said: “I was devastated to suffer an injury in the mid-season break which put me out of action for all but the last three games.

“I sprained foot ligaments in a challenge during a training session and the subsequent 12 weeks of rehabilitation were frustrating to say the least.

“Although we as players were gunning for promotion this season, many board members and supporters will agree that another year in the WSL2 will do us good.

“We’ll be bringing in more players, increasing the amount we train, and the new partnership with Bridgewater College should begin to feed through young talent.

“It’s safe to say anything short of promotion next season will be a disappointment.”

Yeovil Town Ladies manager Jamie Sherwood has known Ellie for a long time, and it was he in fact who gave Ellie her debut in her first senior season with Cardiff City Ladies, before he took up the post at Yeovil and eventually signed Ellie for the Somerset club.

He said: “I’ve known Ellie, or Posh as we call her, for a long time. I gave her the nickname ‘Posh Spice’ the first time I coached her — her punctuation and tone just felt like it was summed up with the name — though she’ll hate me for saying that!

“She has a great attitude and character, whilst her honest, hardworking approach gives her an edge over many other players I have worked with; so when I knew I wanted to strengthen my squad here at Yeovil, Posh was a player I was eager to secure.

“Her debut season for YTLFC has been exactly how I would have wanted it to be for her and us as a squad.

“During the first part of the season, she was part of a back three that was stingy, well-marshalled and had a great attitude to defending.

“The second half wasn’t as productive for her as she was injured but her determination in her recovery saw her back playing and being involved in the final few games of the season.

“Posh in her debut season has made her mark not only with the club but with the fans too and she is part of the group of players I want to push this club towards the top two in 2016.”