There’s been as many new signings as there has been pre-season friendlies for Adam Dunleavy and Notts County Women, but they’re ready, just about, for the new East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division campaign.

Their start though, it could have been a little easier, after all they face a midweek trip to title hopefuls Rotherham Untied Women on Wednesday (1 September) night, ahead of further games against Oughtibridge Wat Memorial, Rise Park Ladies, and Woodlands Seniors.

Those new signings have seen the arrival of Shoniqua Barnes (forward), Philipa Davies (goalkeeper), Summer Gayle (forward), Emily Stretton (centre back) and Emma White (centre midfield), Head Coach Dunleavy strengthening with experience and age to what is, in essence, a very young squad.

So, how are they looking as they heading into a new division, for the 2021-22 campaign?

“We’re all fine and raring to go for the new season,” began County boss, Adam Dunleavy.

“I’d put them in five, challenging pre-season games against teams around our level, and we stayed unbeaten so that’s a nice benchmark to begin with.

“It’s just a case now of maintaining, being tactically adept, consistent, but it’s been the best pre-season we’ve had since 2018.

“The last couple of seasons, although unbeaten in the league, it’s been frustrating as been unable to have any real momentum and we feel that we’d have won the league, so frustrating being unable to do anything.

“We’ve a great environment though, both on, and off the field; they gel, and work hard together, right across the squad really.”

The promotion, to the EMWRFL Premier Division, is couple with a bye in the opening round of the Vitality Women’s FA Cup, whilst the opening months of the season also see the League Cup starting, County Women facing the winners of Sherwood, and Kettering Town (3 October) and Loughborough Foxes Vixens (7 November) respectively.

First though, it’s that trip to Rotherham United, although the cup matches, as any season, excites.

“We’ve just been promoted so it’s a case of new teams, and different challenges for us this season,” continued Dunleavy.

“Of those new challenges, Rotherham is definitely one of them, and they’ll be looking at promotion, so it’s definitely a tough one for us, even more when away on a Wednesday night.

“But we’ll give a good, competitive account of ourselves and see where we go from there.

“As for the cups, Loughborough (League Cup), we’ve played them a lot of the past few years so we know each other quite well, it’ll be an enjoyable fixtures.

“In the FA Cup, against Sherwood or Kettering, we’ll be looking to earmark that game as one where we’re hoping to do something with our Trust, so looking forward to it.”

With local derbies to look forward to, including that of Andi Bell’s Mansfield Town Ladies (5 December/27 March) among others, Dunleavy and his team will, without question, be taking the season just one step at a time.

“First and foremost the target is to get enough points on the board to be safe, then we’ll assess where we are, then,” explained Dunleavy.

“We’ll continue to assess the season as we go though as this is a tough division to be in so we just need to be competitive, and build from there.

“We’ve a really talented squad though, a young one, but talented, and the new additions, they’ll add to that foundation with their own longevity and experience.”

Notts County Women open their East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division campaign with a trip to Rotherham United’s Roundwood Pavilion on Wednesday (1 September), kick-off at 19:30 – updates will be available via their Twitter.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NCFC_Women the team is “fine and raring to go” says Dunleavy.