Mel Reay has previewed SAFC Women’s Continental Tyres Cup group opener against Liverpool, as the Lasses look to bounce back against their Barclays WSL opponents.
Liverpool – who were promoted last season as Championship champions – were put to the sword on penalties by the Lasses in the same competition last winter.
“We’re looking forward to getting back on the pitch after the disappointment against Charlton – a game we thought we should’ve got something from,” Reay said.
“Liverpool are a good team, they were promoted last year into the WSL and they’ll be looking to respond from their league defeat against Everton.
“We’ve worked really hard this week in areas we need to improve upon – it’s a chance for players to get minutes on the pitch and show what they can do.”
The Women’s Head Coach then discussed the level of competition around the Lasses, and gave a sidenote as to what sort of XI the supporters at Eppleton might be able to expect.
“This level is tough, and every opponent is a difficult one. We’re still a part-time team, trying to compete with predominantly full-time sides. But this is where we’re at, and we have to find a way to win.
“Liverpool have bounced back really strongly. Matt Beard has some great players at the club, including Rachael Laws and Rachel Furness who used to play here for us. We’ll have to be at the top of our game to try and eliminate their threats.
“Whilst the league remains a priority, the Conti Cup is different this year with games being played on weekends rather than midweek. We’ll rotate players, but we need to maintain a balance to support players who are maybe coming into the team – it’ll be a competitive team to give it a good go.”