Smith responds to Blades defeat.

Courtney Sweetman-Kirk handed the hosts a first-half advantage after she applied the finishing touch to a swift counter attack.

Vicky Bruce was then sent off early in the second half, though Smith credited the way her players responded and fought for a way back into the encounter.

"We said it was going to be tough and we said it was going to be a battle," she said.

"We tried to play some good football and create chances in the second half but unfortunately it was a cliché of a game of two halves where we haven’t done enough in the first half and had to throw everything at it in the second but not come out with the result.

"I thought our response to the red card as a team was excellent. We knew we had to pick up the slack from having one less and I couldn’t have been prouder of their reaction to that. We probably had more chances with 10 players than we did with 11.

"It was gutsy, we threw everything at it and left it quite open at the back, we tried everything but it didn’t seem to be today."

🎥 WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW

🎟️ FINAL HOME GAME AT ASHTON GATE!

Get your tickets now for the final home game of the season, against Charlton Athletic on Sunday, April 23rd (3pm), with more than 2,000 already sold.