BRISTOL CITY boss Lauren Smith has stressed her bottom-placed side are not “down and out.”

The Robins were left three points adrift of safety at the foot of the Women’s Super League table last Sunday as they were beaten 2-1 at home by 11th-placed West Ham.

Following their promotion back to the top flight last season, they have accrued only five points from their 12 WSL games so far.

Smith told a press conference ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Aston Villa: “We had a few honest conversations about where we are, but I think keeping it positive in the fact that we are still only one win away from where we already were.

“It’s not like everything suddenly slipped away from us and we are talking about being down and out. There is a real kind of bit between the teeth of the players on the [training] pitch.

“It [getting off the bottom] is within touching distance because it is only three points. Are we going into battle every single weekend? Absolutely.”

West Ham are back in action on Sunday when they host Arsenal.

Villa boss Carla Ward, whose side are eighth, told a press conference: “Bristol City are fighting, every game for them now is a cup final, they need to pick up points to try to stay in the division.

“It’s going to be very difficult, and we have to be prepared to be frustrated because I definitely think they will try their best to do that.”