Baptiste Bags Brace of Awards (Natasha Baptiste interview)

Aston Villa striker Natasha Baptiste collected two honours at the FA Women’s Awards, named WSL Development League Players’ Player of the Year and its leading scorer with twelve goals, capping a first season that began badly. She missed five months from November after landing awkwardly in a challenge and hearing her wrist snap. Having joined from Sporting Club Albion alongside Emily Owen, she had been apprehensive about the step up into WSL 2 and admits she was scared and content where she was until a nudge from her cousin persuaded her. Baptiste describes the difference as a mentality change: Albion was more social, Villa demands work. She aims to be a nuisance, and scored five against Oxford in the Development League 48 hours after the awards.