Preston push for prestigious final
Preston North End Women carry the hopes of the North West with them as they aim for their first FA Women’s League Cup final this weekend.
Preston travel to Doncaster on Sunday to take on the renowned Doncaster Rovers Belles, who sit a division above them in the Women’s Premier League National Division. The match takes place at the 15,000 seater Keepmoat Stadium, where Preston hope to cause a major upset and progress to the final.
Despite being the shock semi-finalists, the Lancashire side go into the game on the back of a brilliant unbeaten run under new manager Chris Stammers, and will be hoping to extend this further.
The Lilywhites route to the semis saw them defeat Newcastle United Ladies 2-1, and victories against Curzon Ashton LFC and Brighton and Hove Albion LFC took them to the quarter finals. They then faced a long round-trip to Portsmouth, where they came out victorious sending them within touching distance of this major cup final.
Meanwhile, despite facing financial uncertainty earlier in the year, the Belles are hoping to reach their first major cup final in 12 years. They fought off tough opposition from Tranmere, Nottingham Forest and Watford to reach Sunday’s semi-final. They are heavy favourites to win the tie and no doubt an appearance in the final would boost their flagging financial situation.
Like Preston, last year’s winners of the cup also hailed from the North West, in the form of Everton Ladies, who play in the National Division. They saw off a formidable Arsenal team, who had previously won 8 out of 14 League Cups, to take a 1-0 victory.
No matter which side reaches the final, it is guaranteed to be a North v South affair, with the other semi-final taking place on Sunday featuring Arsenal and Chelsea, two hot favourites to win the whole competition.
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