Chelsea's Rafferty has no regrets over World Cup penalty miss (From Your Local Guardian)

Chelsea's Rafferty has no regrets over World Cup penalty miss

2:37pm Monday 11th July 2011 in Chelsea By Graham Moody

Claire Rafferty has no regrets about volunteering for a penalty in the shoot out that saw England exit the Women's World Cup at the quarter-final stage on Saturday.

The 22-year-old, who plays for Tooting-based Chelsea Ladies, made her World Cup debut as an 81st-minute sub against France but missed England's fourth kick in the shoot-out, which they lost 4-3 when captain Faye White struck the crossbar with their final kick.

It was only Rafferty's fifth cap and the left-back, who has never taken a penalty for Chelsea, would do the same again if she had to.

"I think I was one of the first to put my hand up for a penalty," she said.

"I looked around and just said I wanted to step up and be counted.

"It is the worst feeling in sport to go out that way and, personally, to miss a penalty.

"We practised after almost every training session, and in training I scored them but you cannot replicate the atmosphere of a World Cup quarter-final.

"Everyone was just saying afterwards they were proud I put my hand up to take one.

"We were all deflated about going out but will we go again and learn from the experience as a team.

"We are very proud of what we did and the way we stuck together."

Rafferty flew back to England with the rest of the squad on Sunday and will now turn her attentions back to the Women's Premier League and getting a job, having just graduated in economics at Loughborough University.

Having played in front of 26,295 fans against France, life will be very different for Rafferty when Chelsea next play at Tooting & Mitcham's Imperial Fields ground on July 31, where just 441 fans watched their last game.

"It is a bit different to come back from the World Cup and then play in England, where the crowds will be a lot smaller," she said.

"The exposure we got as a team has opened Women's football up a little bit though.

"The size of the crowds in Germany was fantastic and it was on BBC2 as well which was great."

Chelsea Ladies' next three games: July 24 Everton (a), 28 Arsenal (a), 31 Doncaster Rover Belles (h).